Sustaining Animal Health and Food Safety in European Organic Livestock Farming

M. Vaarst (1), S. Padel (2), M. Hovi (3), D. Younie (4) and A. Sundrum (5)

Abstract
In Europe, organic livestock production has experienced rapid growth in the past decade. Whilst emphasizing the importance of a systems approach to animal health and welfare protection, organic livestock production standards place considerable restrictions on the use of many animal health inputs that are routinely used in conventional production systems.

Recommended practices in the European organic livestock standards such as closed herds and flocks and improved health security on farms, also include extensive production systems (e.g. free range production) that expose livestock to increased disease challenge.

Organic livestock production faces major challenges with regard to harmonization and successful integration of organic animal husbandry into the whole organic production system. Major questions about food quality and safety exist.

Significant diversity between farming systems and between different countries in Europe, including pre-accession countries, should be taken into account in developing farming systems that all comply with common EU standards, but are in harmony with their geographic and cultural localities.

A newly initiated EU network project (SAFO) with 26 partners in Europe, focuses on the integration of animal health and welfare issues with food safety aspects. It is the purpose of this paper to outline the aims of the project, and to give examples of problem areas which are in focus in this network project.

(1) Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 50, DK – 8830, Tjele, Denmark;
(2) Institute of Rural Sciences, University of Wales Aberystwyth, SY23 3AL, UK;
(3) VEERU, Dept. of Agriculture, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 7AR, UK;
(4) Scottish Agricultural College, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB21 9YA, UK;
(5) Dept of Animal Nutrition & Health, University of Kassel, Nordbahnhofstr. 1a, Witzenhausen, D-37213, Germany

 

Source
British Grassland Society, 2004 Symposium No. 37, "Organic Farming: Science and Practice for Profitable Livestock and Cropping" Proceedings
Association of Applied Biologist & Colloquium of Organic Researchers

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Posted January 2008