?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Organic+livestock+production%3B+a+report+of+the+Forum+%22Livestock+Farming+and+the+Environment%22&rft.creator=+Sundrum%2C+Albert&rft.subject=+Production+systems&rft.description=The+development+towards+a+sustainable+agriculture+has+been+a+main+objective+of+organic+agriculture+from+the+beginning+(IFOAM%2C+1978)%2C+and+a+declared+objective+of+the+newly+applied+EC-Regulation+(1804%2F1999)+on+organic+livestock+production+which+provides+a+clear+framework+for+livestock+production.+The+leading+idea+is+based+on+the+voluntary+self-restriction+in+the+use+of+specific+means+of+production+with+the+objectives+to+produce+food+of+high+quality+in+an+animal+appropriate+and+environmentally+friendly+manner+within+a+nearly+complete+nutrient+farm+organism+(Sundrum%2C+1998).+With+regard+to+an+environmentally+friendly+production%2C+organic+livestock+farming+is+characterised+by%3A%0D%0A%09-+System-oriented+approach%2C%0D%0A%09-+Renunciation+of+mineral+nitrogen%2C+pesticides%2C+growth+promoters%2C+and+GMO%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s%2C%0D%0A%09-+Maximum+total+stocking+density+of+2+large+animal+units+per+ha%2C%0D%0A%09-+Restrictions+in+the+amount+and+quality+of+bought-in+feedstuffs.%0D%0AIn+the+following%2C+consequences+of+the+framework+and+the+production+method+are+discussed+in+relation+to+the+environmental+issue.+%0D%0A%0D%0ASystem-oriented+approach%0D%0A%0D%0ALivestock+production+forms+an+integral+part+of+agricultural+holdings+practising+organic+farming.+Different+agricultural+fields+are+interrelated+into+a+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98farm+organism%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+which+is+driven+by+a+nearly+complete+innerfarm+nutrient+cycle.+A+strict+separation+into+lines+of+production+is+inappropriate+to+the+idea+of+a+nutrient+cycle.+With+regard+to+nutrient+losses%2C+level+of+reference+is+the+farm+as+a+single+unit+and+not+a+specific+level+of+process+engineering+as+is+commonly+used+in+conventional+production.+For+example%2C+it+would+be+inappropriate+to+assess+the+emission+of+nitrogen+in+relation+to+the+average+milk+yield+per+cow+without+taking+the+whole+farm+that+is+among+others+nitrogen+losses+in+relation+to+fodder+growing+and+distribution+of+manure+into+account.+%0D%0A%0D%0APrevention+strategy+%0D%0A%0D%0AThe+general+renunciation+of+mineral+nitrogen%2C+risk+materials+(like+pesticides)+and+controversially+discussed+substances+(like+GMO%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s)+is+part+of+a+prevention+strategy%2C+leading+to+a+comparable+low+input+of+substances%2C+into+the+farm+and+to+a+minimized+output.+Reduction+of+pollution+or+energy+consumption+is+reached+by+a+systemic+and+casually+related+approach%2C+while+conventional+strategies+are+often+based+on+technical+and+management+related+measures+(Kristensen+and+Halberg%2C+1997).+%0D%0ATo+assess+nutrient+losses+on+the+farm+level%2C+the+most+common+methodologies+involve+using+balance+sheets+of+the+whole+farm.+Calculations+demonstrate+that+the+systemic+effect+of+organic+agriculture+in+both+cattle+and+pig+production+has+great+implication+on+the+nutrient+balance+and+the+balance-surplus+in+relation+to+the+product+(Haas%2C+1995%3B+Halberg+et+al.%2C+1995%3B+Martinson%2C+1998%3B+Sundrum+%26+Trangolao%2C+2000).+There+is+reason+for+the+assumption+that+the+benefit+of+the+system-related+approach+on+minimising+pollution+are+much+more+effective+as+compared+to+management-related+factors%2C+such+as+increasing+animal+performance+per+animal+per+year.+For+example%2C+reducing+nitrogen+input+of+100+kg+N%2Fha+is+more+than+doubly+efficient+in+relation+to+the+balance+surplus+than+increasing+average+milk+yield+for+1.000+kg%2Fcow+and+year+(Mejs+and+Mandersloot%2C+1993).+However%2C+there+is+a+high+variability+within+organic+farms+in+relation+to+their+efforts+and+their+nutrient+efficiency.+%0D%0A%0D%0ADual+strategy+in+relation+to+nitrogen%0D%0A%0D%0AIn+organic+livestock+production%2C+feeding+is+primarily+based+on+home-grown+feedstuffs%2C+including+a+high+amount+of+legumes.+As+a+consequence+crude+protein+content+in+the+diet+often+clearly+exceeds+the+requirements+of+the+animals+and+nitrogen+in+the+manure+is+on+a+high+level.+In+conventional+production+farmers+are+asked+to+reduce+nitrogen+in+the+diet+in+order+to+reduce+nitrogen+in+the+manure.+In+organic+farming%2C+a+high+level+of+crude+protein+in+the+diet+is+a+very+important+nitrogen+source+for+the+innerfarm+nutrient+cycle.+When+trying+to+utilize+this+nitrogen+source%2C+organic+farmers+are+encouraged+simultaneously+to+minimize+nitrogen+emission+from+the+manure.+Due+to+the+limited+nitrogen+resource%2C+organic+farmers+have+to+find+the+balance+within+a+dual+strategy%3A+increasing+nitrogen+in+the+manure+and+minimizing+nitrogen+emission+form+the+manure.+As+nitrogen+input+in+the+organic+farm+is+on+a+low+level%2C+organic+farms+are+endowed+with+a+credit+in+relation+to+nitrogen+losses+in+the+following+production+process.+In+the+long+run%2C+the+objective+to+increase+productivity+within+the+framework+of+organic+agriculture+goes+along+with+improving+management+measures+to+minimize+nitrogen+emission.+%0D%0AOn+the+other+hand%2C+the+increase+of+productivity+from+a+high+level+as+being+realised+in+conventional+production+leads+more+or+less+to+a+higher+efficacy+of+nitrogen+turnover+and+a+reduction+in+nitrogen+losses+per+cow+and+milk+yield+(Kirchgessner+et+al.%2C+1991).+However%2C+there+is+reason+for+the+assumption+that+with+reference+to+the+conventional+farm+as+a+whole%2C+nutrient+efficacy+will+probably+decrease+due+to+a+reduction+in+digestibility+of+feedstuffs+and+higher+demands+of+bought-in+concentrates.+Those+concentrates+increase+nutrient+input+in+the+farm+and+cause+energy+consumption+especially+due+to+transport.+From+these+theoretical+considerations+the+question+arises+whether+the+efforts+to+increase+productivity+will+reach+or+even+has+already+exceeded+the+marginal+utility+in+relation+to+environmental+effects.+%0D%0AIt+can+be+concluded+that+both%2C+a+system+oriented+approach+and+a+approach+on+the+level+of+process+engineering+are+needed+to+proceed+in+environmentally+friendly+production.+Organic+livestock+production+seems+to+be+in+the+lead+because+production+starts+from+a+comparable+low+level+of+nutrient+input.+%0D%0A&rft.contributor=%3B+In%3A+Hartung%2C+J%C3%83%C2%B6rg&rft.contributor=Wathes%2C+Christopher+M.&rft.date=2001&rft.type=Journal+paper&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F924%2F1%2F0924-sundrum-a-2001-livestock-prod.pdf&rft.identifier=Sundrum%2C+Albert+(2001)+Organic+livestock+production%3B+a+report+of+the+Forum+%22Livestock+Farming+and+the+Environment%22.+Livestock+farming+and+the+environment.+Landbauforschung+V%C3%83%C2%B6lkenrode+226%2C+37-38..&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F924%2F