How you measure emissions from open stable systems

Open stable systems with open yards are used in organic cattle farming. Until now, emission factors for open yards of cattle barns respectively dairy barns do not exist in Germany. For an objective evaluation of the emissions, which is necessary for proceedings on the granting of building permission, these data are strongly needed.

Organic farming 2002 in Germany

Organic farms are marked by extraordinary diversity. This diversity is caused, among other things, by locational factors; the outset situation at the time of conversion; the farm's own course of development in the process from conversion to the establishment of organic farming; the production guidelines from organic farmers organizations; the socio-economic framework conditions, and the abilities, expectations and preferences of the farm manager.

Politic support for organic farming - measures, strategies and farm-level perspectives

Numerous support measures have been designed to help more farms convert to organic farming. But the number of converting farms has been declining for years.

PPillow - Poultry and Pig Low-input and Organic production systems’ Welfare

Organic and low-input poultry farming has increased in the EU over the last decade for ethical and socio-economic reasons. However, there are still some unresolved issues in these farming systems, particularly in relation to animal health and mortality problems. The acceptance by consumers and practitioners, in particular with regard to the killing of day-old male layer chicks, has clearly declined. Furthermore, European citizens expect guarantees for improved animal welfare, safety and quality of poultry meat and eggs in these systems. Therefore, there is a need to improve animal welfare in ...

Reduced tillage for soil life

Healthy soils are characterised by high biological diversity. We are investigating the influence of temporarily reduced tillage in organic farming on earthworms, springtails and yields.

100% organic feed for laying hens of different hybrids with rape cake and regional grain legumes

The tasks of rural areas are changing rapidly. This has also impact on communication of all actors. Three sociological case studies have been carried out in Modellregion Lübecker Bucht, Organic Milk production and nature protection.

Alternatives against the pollen beetle

For rapeseed cultivation in organic farming, pest infestation has up to now been an unpredictable, high risk. Because no biological plant protection agents are available in organic farming, alternatives are needed and should be sought.

Alternatives to castration

The acceptance of piglet castration is declining. Therefore, boar fattening could be an alternative. But the problems of boar taint are still not finally resolved.

Animal Health in Organic Farming - Publications between 1991 and 2011

The aim of the study is to describe the status quo and to identify further research regarding animal health in organic husbandry by literature study.

Animal welfare aspects on electronic animal identification for goats

Electronic identification of sheep and goats is mandatory in Europe since 01.01.2010. There are many concerns about injuries related to identification tags. Thus the objective of our study was the evaluation of an early identification of goat kids together in their housing and on pasture.

Animal welfare in dairy husbandry with a system – from farm self-monitoring to national monitoring

Significant, valid and evidence-based indicators to evaluate animal welfare in livestock husbandry are now available. Lacking is a comprehensive monitoring of automatically documentable animal-related indicators that make animal welfare measurable and comparable. In our project Q-Check, indicators for animal health from existing analyses and documentation systems shall be used.

Animal welfare in goat keeping

Goats are able to produce even without best keeping conditions. In organic farming is the target to have high animal welfare standards and good production performance. Several projects have developed high animal welfare standards for goats kept in stables and on pasture. Avoidance of manipulation is part of the research.

Anthelminthika resistance

Advanced dissemination of gastrointestinal worms with anthelmintic resistance (AR) makes the detection of AR in organic livestock of particular importance. A preventive drug use is expressly prohibited, therefore diseased animals have to have effective drugs to prevent suffering.

Beef from nature reserves

Goal of the on-farm projects was the development and assessent of integration of old endangered dairy cattle breeds and landscape management into milk producing farms.

Better milk quality with less concentrate feeding

Objective of the project is an application of a pasture-based feeding system to increase the contents of essential fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), vitamin E, xanthophylls and antioxidants in goat's milk and cheese.

Biotope management with goats and sheep

Many areas in Germany are protected for nature purposes and suffering by shrub invasion. Goats like shrub browsing. The ability of goats to maintain protected biotopes was developed.

Bros on pasture

Wir untersuchen die Gemischt-Beweidung durch Bruderhähne und -kälber auf einer Weidefläche, die durch streifenförmige Pappel-KUPs unterteilt ist. Ziel ist die Bewertung dieser Haltungsform nach ökonomischen und Tierwohlaspekten.

Castration of piglets

Castration without anaesthesia shall be banned in 2018. But the currently approved anaesthetics for pigs are probably suboptimal under organic housing conditions.

Clean floors as ammonia mitigation strategy in dairy barns

Ammonia emissions from animal husbandry highly contribute to environmental acidification and eutrophication as to odour nuisance. More than 50 % of the totally emitted ammonia has its origin from cattle husbandry and 60 % of the ammonia is emitted from the walking area.

Climate change impacts and sustainability of farming systems

Agricultural activities of farms and the activities’ contributions to climate change are highly complex. Organic and conventional farms are different in methods, input and yield level. It is unknown if and how environmental effects and sustainability of farms differ systematically with respect to farming system and region. Climate [change] impacts of agricultural production in 80 organic and conventional dairy farms and cash crop farms in Germany are analyzed and modelled.

Colorful chicken

So far, organic chicken farms rely on the same high-performance hybrids as conventional farms. As groundwork for breeding an organic chicken, this project compares six dual purpose genotypes and evaluates their potential for organic agriculture.

Colorful Chicken 3

Based on our previous project "Colorful chicken", in this project four dual purpose genotypes are evaluated regarding their potential for organic agriculture: Purebred German Lachshuhn, a cross of Lachshuhn and White Rock, and two crosses that were already tested in the previous project.

Compensatory growth

For lack of organic feed with a high quality amino acid pattern (protein gap), there is the danger of impaired value creation in organic pig fattening due to low body protein but high body fat synthesis of organic fattening pigs. Against that background the objective of our study was to investigate whether a moderate oversupply of lysine in the final fattening period after a marginal lysine supply in the initial feeding period will result in compensatory protein growth.

Compost against Rhizoctonia

The fungus Rhizoctonia solani causes various symptoms in potatoes, including black scurf, stem and stolon cankers on underground stems and stolons, and is a well-known, increasing problem in the cultivation of organic potatoes. Farmers suffer significant economic losses because highly infested potatoes are not marketable. This increasingly affects also the organic seed potatoes: if seed potatoes are infested by Rhizoctonia, the resulting potato harvest is also much more strongly infected.

Control of endoparasites by Duddingtonia flagrans

Grazing of sheep and goats is compromised by gastrointestinal strongyles. Many worms have developed Anthelmintic Resistance. Promoting the natural predation of worm stages on pasture could possibly reduce the infection pressure for the livestock.

CORYNE Methionin production

100% organic feeding is a social and political goal. An important obstacle is the shortage of feedstuffs with high quality amino acid pattern.

Cow-calf contact in dairy farming - how does it work?

A standard procedure how to rear dairy calves by cows does not exist. Every farm has to find its own system. In future, we will support this process with a guideline.

CowData - for a better understanding

Today, behaviour and performance of farm animals are recorded in manifold ways, often directly at the animal. The concatenation and intelligent interpretation of this data can support the farm management.

Cows on organic farms - looked at through interdisciplinary glasses

Studies have shown:Cows in organic dairy farms are not healthier and face mastiis as well as metabolic disorders. This joint research project aimed for an interdisciplinary approach to that phenomenon.

Decision Trees for Deworming

Control of gastrointestinal worms of grazing ruminants is crucial to animal health and farmer’s economic success. At the same time the smallest possible amount of drugs is to be used.

Decision Trees for Deworming

Control of gastrointestinal worms of grazing ruminants is crucial to animal health and farmer’s economic success. At the same time the smallest possible amount of drugs is to be used.

Delicious chips and French fries made from organic potatoes

For years consumers in Germany have been consuming more and more processed potato products, such as chips or potato crisps, than fresh potatoes. But the predominant proportion of organically produced potatoes is marketed as table potatoes, so that the proportion of processed organic potato products has up to now been low. Reasons for this are the high, specific required quality demands for potato processing and a low consumer demand for table potatoes.

Development of an animal-friendly feeding system for horned goats

Dairy goat farming is a growing business in Germany since more then one decade. In the same manner, there is a growing demand on extension for dairy goat farms regarding husbandry and management. Although there is some knowledge present, there is a lack of transer into practical dairy goat farming. That is the starting point for our new initiative Stable Schools for dairy farmers.

Deworming only for individual animals - testing of thresholds in young cattle

Infections with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) endanger the grazing of cattle. Until now usually it was dewormed strategically. This is not sustainable and promotes Anthelmintic Resistance. Alternative methods will be tested.

Duroc percentages

The use of portions of Duroc in fattening pigs is often recommended in organic pork production. It is the aim to investigate the effect of varying percentages of the genotype Duroc in organic fattening pigs on performance, carcass and meat quality.

EIP- Animal Welfare-Check

Establishment of web-based decision trees for parasite prophylaxis through future-oriented pasture management in agricultural practice and consultancy

Pasture husbandry is considered to be particularly animal appropriate and is, according to polls, desired by consumers. However younger animals in particular are often afflicted with infections by gastrointestinal parasites while at pasture. Previously developed decision trees available online could be an aid in future-oriented pasture planning. How do farms perceive the work with this online tool? Can it provide support in pasture management to individual farms? Does it reduce the stress on the animals or does the use of the decision tree lead to less use of anthelmintics? These questions are ...

Establishment of web-based decision trees for parasite prophylaxis through future-oriented pasture management in agricultural practice and consultancy

Pasture husbandry is considered to be particularly animal appropriate and is, according to polls, desired by consumers. However younger animals in particular are often afflicted with infections by gastrointestinal parasites while at pasture. Previously developed decision trees available online could be an aid in future-oriented pasture planning. How do farms perceive the work with this online tool? Can it provide support in pasture management to individual farms? Does it reduce the stress on the animals or does the use of the decision tree lead to less use of anthelmintics? These questions are ...

Evaluation of organic feedstuffs

Organic farmers should feed the animals with 100 % organic produced feedstuffs in the near future. Not only ruminants, but also monogastric animals – poultry and swine – must be feed with protein from domestic feedstuffs to meet requirements.

FAMACHA© color chart in the sheep and goat farming

A stomach parasite can cause life-threatening anemia in sheep and goats. The pallor of conjunctivae, compared with a color chart developed in South Africa indicates those animals that need to get dewormed. Is this method also useful and applicable in German farms?

Fattening trial feed structure

Pelleting chicken feed reduces feed losses and improves feed intake, but causes additional expenses. When germinated wheat is fed to broilers in addition to a pelleted or milled feed mixture, it is unclear if the structure of the feed affects feed intake and animal performance.

Feasibility of animal welfare indicators in on-farm self-assessment

The German Animal Welfare Act requires livestock keepers to carry out on-farm self-assessments in order to ensure that housing conditions meet their animals’ need. But how can livestock farmers carry out objective assessments of animal welfare in their herds?

Genotype-Environment-Interaction in organic pig fattening

A main factor for profiling poor developed organic pork production is the choice of the right genotype. Therefore modern and old breeds are tested for genotype-environment-interaction concerning various criteria of performance, carcass, meat and fat quality.

Grassland and phosphorous flows - mobilisation by growth

Phosphorous is a finite resource. Soil reserves must be used more efficient. Due to its high biological activity grassland is particularly important for the phosphorous cycle of farms.

Grassland conversion to arable land and greenhouse gas emissions

Conversion of grassland to arable land induces enhanced emissions of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. What is the magnitude of these enhanced emissions and can they be counteracted by avoiding soil tillage during conversion? These questions are tackled in two field studies in North-Rhine Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein.

Green house gas impact of Norwegian milk

Due to site and climate conditions milk production in North Scandinavia is special. In the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal organic and conventional dairy farming is based on grassland. Concentrates are generally imported in the farms. Grazing is not only done on the cultivated farm area and pastures, but often also semi natural grassland and rangelands in the mountains. The Norwegian research project ENVIROMILK is addressing the sustainability of 20 organic and conventional dairy farms in this region by analysing and modelling nutrient flows, energy use, economy and climate gasses.

Group suckling

The above mentioned project is part of a 5 parts joint project (06oe266) which focuses on nutrition, keeping, desinfection and temperature control in the organic piglet production.

Growing oil crops together with other crops

Oil crop yields in organic crop rotations are limited by severe cropping risks like insect pests and weed pressure. But organic vegetable oil has high market prices and oil cakes are valuable feedstuffs in livestock production. Mixed cropping - that is the parallel production of more than one crop on one field - might lower these yield risks. We analysed if oil crops are suitable partners in mixed cropping with cereals or legumes.

Herd health planning laying hens

The herd health in organic husbandry is not better than usual. Specific animal health plans (AHP) could help to improve farming systems. AHP have been used on 20 organic layer farms and assessed.

How much greenhouse gases do grass-clover crop sequences emit?

Organic farming integrates clover and grass mixtures into crop sequences to increase soil fertility. The symbiotic N fixation provides N fertilisation to subsequent crops.

How you measure emissions from open stable systems

Open stable systems with open yards are used in organic cattle farming. Until now, emission factors for open yards of cattle barns respectively dairy barns do not exist in Germany. For an objective evaluation of the emissions, which is necessary for proceedings on the granting of building permission, these data are strongly needed.

Indicators for a Payment-by-Results Approach for Animal Welfare Measures and Organic Farming

According to Eurobarometer surveys, most consumers desire adequate housing and living circumstances for farm animals. But which indicators are most suitable for the measurement of animal welfare and how can animal welfare policies be implemented in a result-oriented way? This research question is adressed by the Thünen-Insitut of Organic Farming and the Thünen-Institut of Farm Economics.

Intake of grass-clover when sows are kept on pasture

Roughage like ensiled or fresh grass-clover is offered to gestating sows to improve their health and offer employment. We document the amounts of fresh grass-clover that sows consume on pasture to enable an inclusion of energy from grass-clover in diet formulation.

Keeping after dock and thistles

Again and again root weeds, particularly dock species (Rumex spp.) in grassland and creeping thistles (Cirsium arvense) on the field, give organic farmers a hard fight. Both can spread quickly. Once they have gained a foothold, it is difficult to banish them again. We examined the factors that foster the spread and which measures will help to get rid of them.

Kid rearing and fattening

Rearing kids from dairy goats is not easy. How can kids rearing be improved with mother suckling systems in comparison with bucket and automatic feeding systems? The other question is the fattening of kids. Which feeding regime is recommendable for animal welfare, high production performance and last but not least for profitability?

Lameness in breeding sows

Sows in conventional husbandry often suffer from diseases in their locomotor systems, leg injuries and lameness. What is the situation on organic farms where pigs have outdoor runs? What risk factors have the most influence here?

LandLessFood-concept

To guarantee food security until the year 2100 and protect the environment, new concepts for the global food system are necessary. In this project the potential of bioreactors as components of circular, sustainable agricultural systems is investigated.

Maize and beans in mixed cropping

In the future, the amount of on-farm or locally produced feedstuff should increase to ensure a sustainable protein supply for farm animals. In our project we analyze the potential of the mixed cropping of maize with runner or scarlet runner beans.

Making blue lupins more competitive

Blue lupines have due to their slow youth development only a low competitive ability against weeds. Lupin varieties with higher competitive ability could help to facilitate weed control. We want to develop a test system that detects the weed suppressive effect for Blue lupins, evaluates and helps to identify competitive strong breeding lines.

Methionine in peas, beans and lupines – Leaf green and root length as selection criteria in plant breeding

In organic livestock feeding no supplementation of synthetic amino acids is allowed. High value proteins from organic production are rare and expensive. Grain legumes with high seed methionine contents might help solving the problem. But how to identify them?

MHFZ

A tailor-made mobile housing system for poultry research At the Thünen Institute of Organic Farming, a housing system has been especially designed and built for experiments focusing on chicken feeding and chicken genotypes for use in organic agriculture.

MinimA

Maintaining the therapeutic efficiency of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine requires their strictly demand-oriented use. In our project, we apply this principle to the dry off treatment of dairy cows on farms.

MIX-ENABLE - Grazing together: cattle and broilers

Specialisation increases also in organic farming. Even if there are more than one species on a farm they usually will be managed separately. Partners from seven EU-countries investigate the potential of a higher integration between farm components

More iron for healthier piglets

The iron demand of suckling piglets cannot be met from sows´ milk alone, but relies on iron uptake from the environment (e.g. rooting). Because that´s not possible under modern housing conditions, iron must be supplemented.

More than a niche? The potential of dam rearing for marketing of milk and male calves

Some consumers ask for milk that is produced without separating cow and calf shortly after birth. We ask if dairy farmers will get more chances to market their products by dam rearing their calves.

More time with the mother - better for the calf?

Today, immediate separation of cow and calf after parturition is common in dairy farming. However, an alternative is the dam rearing system: Dam or foster cows suckle the calves and are additionally milked. We are investigating possible long-term effects on dairy heifers reared in that system.

National Animal Welfare Monitoring

The interdisciplinary project "National Animal Welfare Monitoring" aims to develop the basis for reporting on the status quo and the development of animal welfare in livestock farming.

Natural bedding material - a risk factor for organic dairy cows?

n organic farms, a natural bedding material has to be provided in the lying areas of cows. However, bacteria and other mastitis pathogens may grow very well under these conditions. Thus, the risk for the cows to get infected by these pathogens increases as well. The project investigated how organic dairy farmers handle their bedding material, and whether an increased risk for the organic dairy cows really exists.

Optimization of intercropping for biomass production

Intercropping contributes to the biodiversification of cropping systems and often increases yield, as plants with different resource requirements are combined. We develop new intercropping systems for the Andean lupins with maize as well as for white lupins and oats for biomass production.

Optimization of spring- and winter pea cultivation by intercropping and a reduced intensity of soil tillage

The agricultural advantages of mixed cultivation in low-input-systems are often demonstrated for the higher yield stability, a more effective weed suppression and a better use of the growth factors light, water and nutrients. We wanted to evaluate in the system of organic farming the mixed cropping especially under a simultaneous reduced intensity of soil cultivation in constricted crop rotations with grain legumes.

Optimized sustainable pasture utilisation of the semi-arid savanna in the Kalahari

Grazing is still the most important utilisation of the vast semi-arid savannas of Afrika. This areas are endagered due to climate change and not sustainable herd management (degradation and desertification). With measures of organic farming and holostic management we try to increase the natural biomass production and therefore the production of meat in kg per hectare and year. This will result in better profitability and performance of grassland farming.

Organic farming in Korea

Organic Farming in South Korea has developed positively in recent years. One of the main products is rice, which is cultivated on paddy soils. If organic cultivation were to have advantages compared to conventional cultivation, compensation payments could be made to organic farmers.

Organic potatoes: Better and tastier

Organic potatoes are highly popular among consumers. At the same time, the requirements on quality are increasing. Quality is a complex concept and includes both the "external quality" and the "internal quality".

Outdoor keeping of suckler cows and beef cattle in winter

Outdoor keeping of suckler cows and beef cattle in winter is a traditional housing system in Canada. Cattle herds are kept on a limited area without roofed shelter but providing wind protection walls.

Pasture based fattening of male dairy calves – an option for the future?

Today, immediate separation of cow and calf after parturition is common in dairy farming. However, an alternative is the dam Pasture based fattening of male dairy calves – an option for the future?

Piglet feeding strategies

Organic agriculture is characterised as a low external input system, minimising the use of non farm-own resources. Hence, livestock's nutrient supply should be of predominantly farm-own production and of complete organic origin.

Piglet nest

Organic pig husbandry aims at a high animal welfare standard, part of which is a low level of piglet losses. Ensuring that piglets are kept warm after farrowing, and protecting them against being crushed by the sow are measures to improve piglet survival. Both warmth and protection can be achieved by a well designed and frequently used piglet nest.

Prolonged suckling period

The use of portions of Duroc in fattening pigs is often recommended in organic pork production. It is the aim to investigate the effect of varying percentages of the genotype Duroc in organic fattening pigs on performance, carcass and meat quality.

Reduced tillage for soil life

Healthy soils are characterised by high biological diversity. We are investigating the influence of temporarily reduced tillage in organic farming on earthworms, springtails and yields.

Regulation of weeds in silage maize by using winter cash crops

Due to growing importance of silage maize cultivation in organic farming, attempts need to be made to find solutions to existing problems by developing suitable cultivation methods and crop rotations. Within this project the potential for weed regulation of mulch or no-till methods is to be examined.

Sensors show how dairy cows graze

Accelerometers can be used to identifiy activity. Depending on the part of the body where the sensors are attached, walking or lying as well as head movements can be recorded.

Small grain legumes in organic feeds for pigs and poultry

The use of early harvested alfalfa and red clover (small grain legumes) as valuable feedstuff for pigs and poultry is studied. Both legumes are processed either to whole crop silage or to dried leaf mass.

Societal expectations towards ecological dairy cattle husbandry

While husbandry of pigs and poultry is discussed frequently dairy cattle husbandry seems to be of less importance. But does this really mean that the society is not interested in it? Or does it mean that they agree to it or do they even have no perception about it?

Soils as Carbon Sink - Business Models for Climate Goals

Agricultural soils have high potential to bind additional carbon and can contribute to climate protection. Preserving and enrichment of humus will protect or build up soil fertility. How farmers can adapt their cropland management and how they might be might be paid for this eco-service is analysed in the INTERREG project ‘Carbon Farming’ with participation of the Thünen Institute of Organic Farming.

Stable Schools for goat farmers

Dairy goat farming is a growing business in Germany since more then one decade. In the same manner, there is a growing demand on extension for dairy goat farms regarding husbandry and management. Although there is some knowledge present, there is a lack of transer into practical dairy goat farming. That is the starting point for our new initiative Stable Schools for dairy farmers.

Stable Schools to improve animal health and welfare

Udder diseases and metabolism problems, typical production diseases, also play a great role in organic dairy husbandry. In a pilot study we studied the extent to which Stable Schools are suited as an innovative concept to improve the health situation with consultations in the participating dairy farms. Stable Schools base on mutual learning: problems in the own farm are discussed and solved together with other farmers.

Stable Schools to improve animal health and welfare

Udder diseases and metabolism problems, typical production diseases, also play a great role in organic dairy husbandry. In a pilot study we studied the extent to which Stable Schools are suited as an innovative concept to improve the health situation with consultations in the participating dairy farms. Stable Schools base on mutual learning: problems in the own farm are discussed and solved together with other farmers.

Tentative test with germinated vetch seeds fed to laying hens

Common vetches produce protein-rich seeds, which contain not only valuable nutrients but also anti-nutritive compounds. Laying hens react especially sensitive to them and avoid consuming higher amounts. A tentative test at the Thünen-Institute of Organic Farming explores if germination before feeding makes common vetch seeds an attractive feed.

The animal as driver for changes in farm management

In the German network of organic and conventional pilot farms we analyse animal welfare and the use of veterinary drugs in dairying. These are important aspects of sustainability which we combine with parameters of environmental performance and resource efficiency.

The future of grain legumes

The cultivation of legumes is declining in many European countries for many years, despite of a lot of positive properties, but they are usually economically not competitive with other crops. Therefore, cultivation systems with legumes need to be evaluated and developed further on.

Transforming rural communication

The tasks of rural areas are changing rapidly. This has also impact on communication of all actors. Three sociological case studies have been carried out in Modellregion Lübecker Bucht, Organic Milk production and nature protection.

Treated common vetch seeds for monogastrics

The protein-rich seeds of common vetches contain valuable nutrients, but also anti-nutritive factors, to which especially chicken and pigs are sensitive to. In this project, we examine if the treatments germination and ensiling, respectively, can reduce these negative effects.

Udder health and milk quality

Dairy goats can have mastitis like cows, mostly sub-clinical. In comparison with cows, there were no clear definition and indicators to measure udder health and "good" milk qualities.

Unpopular guest in potatoes: wireworms

Wireworms, the larvae of click beetles, damage many agricultural and horticultural crops, including potatoes. In organic farming, it is not yet possible to combat this pest effectively.

Use of false flax oil (Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz) in mixture with other vegetable oils as fuel for adapted diesel engines

False flax is frequently produced in organic mixed cropping systems with field peas. We investigated the use of its cold pressed vegetable oil in mixture with rapeseed oil as fuel in agricultural diesel engines

What effects do grassland and grazing management have on cow health and welfare?

What effects do grassland and grazing management have on cow health and welfare?