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ECO-INTENSIFICATION – THE SCIENCE OF ORGANIC FARMING – A GUIDE TO CLIMATE REGULATION & RESILIENCE

Andreas Gattinger

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Contents

What is eco-intensification?Soil management in organic agriculture and its climate relevanceAnimal husbandry in organic agriculture and its climate relevanceConclusions

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The four basic principles of organic agriculture, endorsed by IFOAM, September 2005

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Eco-functional intensification?Higher degree of organization of farms, knowledge-based farming and food systems.More complex and less industrialised farming systems (e.g. agro-forestry).Improved land and resource use efficiency.Improved management of soil fertility, water, biodiversity, genetic diversity, energy and nutrients.Improved use of resilience, self-regulation and self-healing in farming systems and animal herds.Adaptation of crop and animal breeding programs to organic and low-input systems.Novel and improved therapies against pests and diseases in crop and livestock.

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Built-up of soil fertility

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Recycle and produce on-farm nutrients

Global potential to produce 140 million tons of nitrogen on cropland (Badgley et al., 2007)

Global potential to use 160 million tons of nitrogen (and other nutrients) from livestock manure more efficiently on cropland (calculated on the basis of 18.3 billion farm animals/FAO)

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Intensification through ecological support functions

Fotos: Eric Wyss, Lukas Pfiffner

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Health promoting agents from plants against endo-parasites of livestock (especially sheep and pig)

Heckendorn et al., 2006; Marley et al., 2003; Hansen et al., 2006

Cichorium intybus Onobrychis viciifolia

Making best use of nature‘s pharmacy

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Breeding smartly

Walter Schmidt, 2009

Maize: Mechanical resistance against the European Corn Borer (Ostrinia nubilalis)

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Organic farming – managing and using natural ressources/ecosystem services

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ContentsWhat is eco-intensification?Soil management in organic agriculture and its climate relevanceAnimal husbandry in organic agriculture and its climate relevanceConclusions

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Increased SOM or Corg -contents (Gerhardt, 1997; Clark et al., 1998; Brown et al., 2000; Pulleman et al., 2003; Pimentel et al., 2005; Marriott & Wander, 2006)

Ranging from 10 to 60 % (average 28 %, Soil Association, 2009).

Improved biological properties of soils (e.g. microbial biomass, microbial enzyme activities, abundance of earthworms, abundance of soil-dwelling insects): Gerhardt, 1997; Siegrist et al., 1998; Hansen et al., 2001; Mäder et al., 2002; Pulleman et al., 2003; Fließbach et al., 2007, Pfiffner, L. and Luka, H., 2002.

Ranging from 40 to 120 %.

Overall sustainability parameters of organically managed soils

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Increased aggregate stability (Gerhardt, 1997; Siegrist et al., 1998; Brown et al., 2000; Maeder et al., 2002; Pulleman et al., 2003; Williams & Petticrew, 2009).

Increased water holding capacity, higher water content in soil (Brown et al., 2000; Lotter et al., 2003; Pimentel et al., 2005)

Improved infiltration rate of water (Lotter et al., 2003; Pimentel et al., 2005; Zeiger & Fohrer, 2009).

e.g. Rodale experiment in Pennsylvania + 17 % in both organic systems (livestock manure and green manure) compared to conventional system.

Overall sustainability parameters of organically managed

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DOK trial: Soil aggregate stabilityDOK trial: Soil aggregate stability

Mäder et al. 2002, Science

Bio dynamic

Conventional/ IPM

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Soil aggregate stability, infiltration rate

Biodynamic with composted manure

IP with mineral fertilizers

Foto

s: F

liess

bach

Nov

. 200

2

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Parameter Unit Organic farming

Integrated farming (IP)

with FYM

Organic in % of IP

Nutrient input kg Ntotal ha-1 yr-1 101 157 64 %

kg Nmin ha-1 yr-1 34 112 30 %

kg P ha-1 yr-1 25 40 62 %

kg K ha-1 yr-1 162 254 64 %Pesticides applied kg ha-1 yr-1 1.5 42 4 %Fuel use l ha-1 yr-1 808 924 87 %Total yield output for 28 years % 83 100 83 %Soil microbial biomass „output“ tons ha-1 40 24 167 %

Mäder, Fliessbach, Dubois, Fried, Niggli (2002), Science 296

Resource use efficiency (DOK trial, 28 years)

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Carbon sequestration in long term experimentsField trial Components compared Carbon gains (+)

or losses (-) kg ha-1 yr-1

DOK experiment, CH Organic, FYM composted + 42(Mäder, et al. 2002; Organic, FYM fresh -123Fliessbach et al., 2007) IP, FYM, mineral fertilizer -84Running since 1977 IP, mineral fertilizer -207SADP, USA, (Teasdale, et al., Organic, no t ill + 810 resp + 17832007), 1994 to 2002 Conventional, no till 0Rodale FST, USA, (Hepperly, et Organic, FYM 1218al., 2006; Pimentel, et al., 2006), Organic, legume based 857Running since 1981 Conventional 217Scheyern Experimental Farm Organic + 180 (Rühling, et al. 2005), since1990 Conventional - 120Frick reduced tillage experiment Organic, ploughing 0(Berner, et al., 2008), since 2002 Organic, reduced tillage 879

Niggli, U., Fließbach, A., Hepperly, P. and Scialabba, N., 2009. ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/ai781e/ai781e.pdf

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Carbon sequestration in long term experimentsField trial Components compared Carbon gains (+)

or losses (-) kg ha-1 yr-1

DOK experiment, CH Organic, FYM composted + 42(Mäder, et al. 2002; Organic, FYM fresh -123Fliessbach et al., 2007) IP, FYM, mineral fertilizer -84Running since 1977 IP, mineral fertilizer -207SADP, USA, (Teasdale, et al., Organic, no t ill + 810 resp + 17832007), 1994 to 2002 Conventional, no till 0Rodale FST, USA, (Hepperly, et Organic, FYM 1218al., 2006; Pimentel, et al., 2006), Organic, legume based 857Running since 1981 Conventional 217Scheyern Experimental Farm Organic + 180 (Rühling, et al. 2005), since1990 Conventional - 120Frick reduced tillage experiment Organic, ploughing 0(Berner, et al., 2008), since 2002 Organic, reduced tillage 879

Average difference between the best organic

and the conventional treatments: 590 kg

carbon ( 2.2 t CO2 ) per hectare and year.

Niggli, U., Fließbach, A., Hepperly, P. and Scialabba, N., 2009. ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/ai781e/ai781e.pdf

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ContentsWhat is eco-intensification?Soil management in organic agriculture and its climate relevanceAnimal husbandry in organic agriculture and its climate relevanceConclusions

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Integration of livestock: Improved management of livestock manure and on- farm production of nitrogen

Global potential to produce 140 million tons of nitrogen on cropland (Badgley et al., 2007)

Global potential to use 160 million tons of nitrogen (and other nutrients) from livestock manure more efficiently on cropland (calculated on the basis of 18.3 billion farm animals/FAO)

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Dec

reas

ing

part

icle

siz

eInfluence of soil texture and livestock integration on

soil organic matter

Capriel, 2006

(n = 1276)

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Sources of GHGE in animal production

Feed production (on farm))Feed production (import including LUC)Buildings, techniqueBedding, ManureMetabolic emissions (enteric fermentation)

GHGE (kgCO2-eq) per kg milk for eight Dairy production systems in Austria (Hörtenhuber et al., 2010)

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Enteric fermentation and methane

Focus of discussion according to organic cowsHigh milk yield requires concentrates rich dietsLow-fibre diets decrease ruminal methane productionIntensive High-output dairy production as climate protector??

Unconsidered critical elementsImport of soybeans and other feed crops from overseas (LUC)Breed characteristics (Holstein: milk and not beef)Animal Health > Replacement rate > Rearing intensityLONGEVITY

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Concentrates in cattle nutrition30% of crop production for animal feeding Not an appropriate diet for ruminantsCompetition to human nutritionImported feed crops in CH: 0.8 Mio. tons/a Organic feed crops import:

Grains 70% Protein carrier (soy) 98%

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Increasing efficiency of production

Conventional approachIntensification of productionGenetic improvement (more product units per animal)Changing ruminal metamolism by additives and modified diets

Sustainable approach includingPhysiological improvement of milk yield curvesAnimal welfare aspectsIntegrated herd health managementOptimized (not maximized) reproduction parameters

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Feed no Food – Grass and Roughage rather than concentrates for dairy cows

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Feed no Food: Objectives

Forage based milk production conceptsReduction of concentrates to a minimumConsideration of animal needsLocal feed production as far as possibleOptimizing feeding managementEvaluation of roughage based cow typeEffects on health, welfare and fertilityImplementation of herd health programmesEffects on product qualityModeling economic impactModeling GHG emissions

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Exemplary LCA in 4 model farms

Farm Valley 1 Valley 2 Mountain 1 Mountain 2

No of cows 32 62 17 12

Av. Milk yield 6800 kg 6450 kg 5500 kg 5000 kg

Ration Silage No silage No silage Silage

Concentrates <10% <10% free <5%

Barn type Freestall Freestall StanchionFreestall Stanchion

Feed production Intensive grassland

Intensive grassland

Extensive grassland

Extensive grassland

Alpine grazing No No Yes Yes

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Preliminary results (GHGE models)

Intensive 1 Intensive 2 Extensive 1 Extensive 21

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8

2

2.2

ZERO current 10% Conc 30% Conc

Valley 1(<10% Conc.)

Tota

l kg

CO

2-eq

/kg

milk

Valley 2(<5% Conc.,

no silage)

Mountain 2(<5% Conc.)

Mountain 1(concentrates free)

Scenarios (assuming constant energy content)

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Animal health and climate protection

General health improvement and longevityUdder health improvementFertility improvementRearing management

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Health, Longevity and climate protection

Ø CH Increasing longevity

Mean Lactation No 3.3 4.3 5.3

Replacement rate per year ~30% ~23% ~19%

„Unproductive“ days due to rearing* 277/cow 212/cow

(-23%)173/cow(-38%)

Replacement strongly depends on animal healthReplacement intensity increases rearing days per farmHealth improvement reduces culling rateProlongation of LNo by 1 lactation leads to 23% less „unproductive“ daysMilk yield optimum during 6th lactation!

* Age at 1st calving: 30 m

40004500500055006000650070007500

Lno 1

Lno 2

Lno 3

Lno 4

Lno 5

Lno 6

Lno 7

Lno 8

Lno 9Lno

 10

Impact of replacement intensity on „unproductive days“during rearing period

Milk yield (kg/cow) per 305 days by lactation number (data of FiBL project „pro-Q“)

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Fertiliy and climate protection

Fertilty of heifersAge at first calving in CH: 30 monOptimum: 24 to 28 mon?

Fertility of cowsInfertility the most important culling reasonReducing periods of low milk yieldIncreasing number of calves for beef production

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Lactation curves depending on fertility

subfertile cows (days to conception: >150d)

fertile cows (days to conception <100 days)

dry

drydry

t

Date of conception

Milk yield difference after 5 years: +5000 kg

dry dry

dry dry dry

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Udder health and climate protection

Milk loss by clinical mastitis5 to 10 days by delivery stop10+ days by reconvalescence

Milk loss per day by increased Somatic Cell Count (SCC)

10 to 20% High culling rates due to udder health

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Contents

What is eco-intensification?Soil management in organic agriculture and its climate relevanceAnimal husbandry in organic agriculture and its climate relevanceConclusions

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Eco-intensification as a climate change mitigation and adaptation strategy has the following benefits:

Increased carbon sequestration in soils. Reduced energy consumption.Reduced nitrogen inputs and resultant reduction in emissions of nitrous oxide. Avoidance of burning of crop residues. Better soil quality and soil fertility with resultant reduced soil erosion and increased water retention capacity. Diversified management systems with resultant lower risks.Higher species diversity on farms and fields – more resilient.

Soil-plant systems

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Livestock play an integral role in organic farming systemscan utilize roughage on grasslands that are not suited to other types of agricultural uses: high C stocks under permanent grassland and high aboveground diversity!No competition between feeding ruminants and human nutrition. Animal health has a significant impact on GHGEHealth improvement is leading to longevity increaseImproved udder health minimizes milk lossesOptimized fertility increases cumulative milk yieldNeed for herd health improvement programmesAnimal welfare aspects are of highest priorityRobust animals for improved lifetime performance

Livestock systems

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Thank you very much for your attention!