creators_name: Doyle, Chris J
creators_name: Topp, Cairistiona F E
editors_name: Powell, Jane
editors_name: et al., 
type: conference_item
datestamp: 2006-04-28
lastmod: 2009-08-20 14:32:12
metadata_visibility: show
title: Potential economic gains from using forage legumes in organic livestock systems in northern Europe

ispublished: pub
subjects: 1pasture
subjects: farm_nutrient_management
subjects: 3animal
subjects: 2farmecon
full_text_status: public
keywords: Colloquium of Organic Researchers; COR; forage legumes, economics, northern Europe, field trials, dairy
abstract: This report was presented at the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference of the Colloquium of Organic Researchers (COR).
Forage legumes, with their ability to fix nitrogen biologically, seem especially attractive for organic livestock production. In an attempt to assess their true potential, this study draws on a four-year trial conducted at 12 sites in northern Europe with four different forage legumes. One third of the sites were managed as organic systems, with the harvested forage being fed as silage to dairy cows. Based on the trial results, an economic assessment has been made of the potential of forage legumes to improve the competitive edge of organic dairy systems, relative to conventional grass-based ones. Although the results suggest that the organic milk price premium plays a major role in determining the comparative profitability of organic dairy systems, the use of forage legumes also gives a significant cost advantage to organic production.
date: 2002
date_type: published
publication: Proceedings of the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference
publisher: Organic Centre Wales, Institute of Rural Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth
pagerange: 195-196
refereed: never
referencetext: no references
citation: Doyle, Chris J and Topp, Cairistiona F E (2002) Potential economic gains from using forage legumes in organic livestock systems in northern Europe. UK Organic Research 2002 Conference, Aberystwyth, 26-28 March 2002. In: Powell, Jane and et al., (Eds.) Proceedings of the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference, Organic Centre Wales, Institute of Rural Studies, University of Wales Aberystwyth, pp. 195-196.
document_url: http://orgprints.org/8298/1/doyle_topp_Forage_livestock_systems.pdf