The expansion of sugarcane for biofuels is a highly contentious issue. The growth of sugarcane area has occurred simultaneously with a reduction of dairy production in São Paulo state, the primary production region for sugar and ethanol in Brazil. This paper analyses different dairy farm rationales to continue dairy production in the context of a dramatically expanding sugarcane economy. Combin...

Organic farming technology may be relatively unknown to farmers at the time when they switch from conventional into organic farming. Therefore, experience gained over time and learning by doing may be important determinants in the efficiency of organic farming. It may also take time to reach the optimal nutrient stock of soil and optimal nutrient supply for arable crops under organic farming. T...

Over the past 50 years, the scale and intensity of livestock farming have increased significantly. At the same time, Western societies have become more urbanised and fewer people have close relatives involved in farming. As a result, most citizens have little knowledge or direct experience of what farming entails. In addition, more people are expressing concerns over issues such as farm animal ...

At present, Indonesia is still lack of freshmilk supply, domestic freshmilk production is covered only 30% national freshmilk processing industry needed and is about 70% milk industry material should be imported, mainly from New Zealand, Australia, EU and USA. The following actors are active in the formal dairy supply chain in Indonesia: (1) Milk producers, (2) The primary dairy/ village cooper...

Traditional farming practices include the use of local agricultural by-products in the diet of ruminants. Artichoke harvesting and transformation yield high amounts of by-products that, if properly used, may reduce farming costs and the environmental impact of farming. The present study tests the inclusion of silages from artichoke by-products (plant and outer bracts) in the diet of dairy goats...

It is not acceptable to compromise animal welfare in any system of farming. Feeding should be aimed at meeting the nutritional requirements at the various stages of production. This paper deals with the detrimental effects that organic, extensive or low input farming systems may have on the energy status in early lactation of the high potential dairy cow. Bovine ketosis is the most important di...

As a part of ANIPLAN, Norway wanted to look at health and welfare planning for calves in organic dairy production. One reason for this was relevant ongoing activity on calves in Norway. There was also information from earlier projects on welfare assessment (Good animal welfare in organic farming, Animal welfare in Arctic farming) in dairy herds, which showed that calf welfare is a challenge in ...

Introduction Throughout the world, the business of dairy farming is rapidly evolving. Consumption of dairy products remains strong but fewer farms are producing more milk using less labor and more purchased services. In the United States, the number of dairy farms dropped from 192,700 in 1990 to 92,000 in 2002 (Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics, 2003). The productivity of these larger farms has...

Europe with a long and proud tradition of dairy farming is about 105% selfsufficient in dairy products. This paper has been developed to answer the questions: (I) Should Europe continue to c o n m e a high level of dairy products? (2) Should Europe remain self-sufficient in dairy products? (3) If the answers to I and 2 are ‘yes’, is any change required in Europe’s attitude towards the use of da...

A survey was carried out on dairy cattle farms in Pastaza province to analyse the degree of compliance with epidemiological surveillance activities (based on the main technical aspects in Ecuador's Guide to Good Dairy Farming Practices) and to assess the reduction of the risk of introducing disease into dairy cattle. Visits were made to 70 dairy and dual-purpose beef/dairy farms, where the surv...