Ragnar Leming Estonian University of Life Sciences,

1. Animal Nutrition in Organic Farming Ragnar Leming Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences

2. Outline of presentation • Organic livestock production in Estonia • Principles of organic farming • Characteristics of organic livestock production • Feeds and feeding organic pigs

3. Organic Livestock in Estonia 2008 Source: Taimetoodangu Inspektsioon; ESA, PM põllumajandusturu korraldamise osakond

4. Characteristics of Organic Livestock Production in Estonia • More than 60% of organic farms are livestock farms • Grassland-based animals are most common (cattle, sheep, horses) • Pigs and poultry are mainly kept for own consumption • Problems areas in organic livestock: • Old tethering housing systems • Lack of knowledge and advise in animal health issues • Lack of processing facilities inhibits further development • Subsidy oriented farmers

5. Organic World

6. Characteristics of Organic Livestock Production in EU • More than 50%? of organic farms are livestock farms • Grassland-based animals are most common (cattle, sheep) • Diversity of European livestock farming systems • Climate and land quality • Intensive / extensive animal husbandry • Different types of herds (mixed / specialised, sizes etc.) • Different levels of organisation (food chains /marketing) • Different consumer preferences • Huge variation in product and process quality

7. Characteristics of organic livestock production

8. Features of EU Regulation on organic livestock production • Feed: ’natural’ & species-specific • Preventative health strategies • Minimise veterinary drug inputs • Access to range • Housing: loose housing, bedding, minimum space allocation • Later weaning

9. Features of EU Regulation on organic livestock production • Feed: ’natural’ & species-specific • Preventative health strategies • Minimise veterinary drug inputs • Access to range • Housing: loose housing, bedding, minimum space allocation • Later weaning 1991R2092 — EN — 01.05.2004 — 018.002 — 29 5. Disease prevention and veterinary treatment 5.1. Disease prevention in organic livestock production shall be based on the following principles: (a) the selection of appropriate breeds or strains of animals as detailed in Section 3; (b) the application of animal husbandry practices appropriate to the requirements of eachspecies, encouraging strong resistance to disease and the prevention of infections; (c) the use of high quality feed, together, with regular exercise and access to pasturage, having the effect of encouraging the natural immunological defence of the animal; (d) ensuring an appropriate density of livestock, thus avoiding overstocking

10. Features of EU Regulation on organic livestock production • Feed: ’natural’ & species-specific • Preventative health strategies • Minimise veterinary drug inputs • Access to range • Housing: loose housing, bedding, minimum space allocation • Later weaning

11. Features of EU Regulation on organic livestock production • Feed: ’natural’ & species-specific • Preventative health strategies • Minimise veterinary drug inputs • Access to range • Housing: loose housing, bedding, minimum space allocation • Later weaning

12. Features of EU Regulation on organic livestock production • Feed: ’natural’ & species-specific • Preventative health strategies • Minimise veterinary drug inputs • Access to range • Housing: loose housing, bedding, minimum space allocation • Later weaning

13. “To fully understand how to raise pigs organically, we first need to understand how pigs behave in a natural environment”

14. How pigs behave?: A COMMON PUBLIC OPINION • The one who misbehaves is a pig! • The one who pollutes environment is a pig! (Umweltschwein!) • Etc...

15. How do they really behave? • Pigs are very social animals • In the natural environment pigs spend ca 70% of the time to rooting/oral and social behaviour

16. How do they really behave? • Pigs are intelligent animals • Humans, primates, dolphins, pigs, …

17. How do they really behave? • Pigs are very social animals • Social status: matriarchy • Average size of the herd ca 20-50 animals (sows with offspring) • Territory 10-20 km2 • Mating time usually Nov-Dec, piglets being born in March-April (pregnancy 18-20 weeks)

18. How do they really behave? • Sow leaves the herd in late pregnancy and starts to build the nest • Weaning time at 3-4 months

19. How do they really behave? • Pigs are clean animals • Pigs don’t have sweating glands and therefore may suffer in hyperthermia or sunburn • Pigs like ‘mud treatment’

20. How do they really behave? • Pigs are omnivores and it should be takenword for word

21. Feeding • nutrition should be based on home-grown feeds • 0%conventional feed for herbivores (cattle, sheep etc) for other species (pigs, poltry) : • max 10 % until 31. Dec. 2009 • max 5 % until 31. Dec. 2011 • max 25% a daily consumption of DM • GMO feeds are forbidden

22. Feeding • Diets for pigs and poultry must contain forages • Forbidden in the feed are: antibiotics drugs growth promoters syntetic amino acids

23. The growth is dependent on... Genetic (growth potential) Feed and feeding Environment (keeping and housing) These are the main inputs that affect pig’s welfare and health and therefore also the productivity and performance

24. Genetics – modern trends Allikas: Jõudluskontrolli Keskus, Aastaraamat 2005

25. Principles for diet formulation Is based on the nutrient requirements Depends on sex, age, growth, physiological stage etc. Nutrient composition of the diet (analysis, tables) Metabolizable energy, MJ Protein and amino acids (Lysine, S-am. acids etc) Minerals (Ca, P) Vitamins Is balanced (requirements = nutrients in the diet)

26. Requirements for single animal Growth maximum Growth Nutrient(s) Requirements for whole herd Growth Herd average Nutrient(s)

27. Lysine and growth

28. Lysine and feed conversion

29. Feeding Feeds: Cereals Protein feeds Roughage and forage Mineral feeds

30. Energy feeds Barley Wheat Oats Rye Triticale

31. Protein feeds Peas Rape seed Rape seed cake Other: Vetch Lupine Grass meal (Lucerne, clover etc)

32. Storage Cleaning Flaking Cooking Pressing Cake Oil Production of the cake Figure.Production of cold-pressed rapeseed cake

33. Potentsial protein feeds

34. Feeding outdoors

35. Forages for Pigs • Due to high fiber content and low energy density, forages have only limited use for young pigs and lactating sows. • Forages are best utilized at an early stage of maturity. • Pigs absorb more nutrients from forages after an adaptation period of at least two months.

36. Forages for Pigs • When pastures are the forage source, pasture rotation should be used to prevent heavy parasite and bacterial contamination of pigs. • Forages can be heavily damaged by grazing swine, especially with rooting in the spring and fall. • Reduced stocking density will protect pastures and support greater persistence.

37. Forages for Pigs • Ringing of sow snouts can reduce damage, but ringing may be considered mutilation and may not be allowed under some market certification standards. • Hogs on pasture may grow slower and require more feed per unit of gain due to high fibre intake and increased exercise compared with confinement-raised pigs.