Browse e-KNOWBASE

Question: Nutritional management in organic livestock farming for improved ruminant health and production - an overview

Answer: Organic livestock farming system are rising in many countries including developing countries due to increased consumers' demand of organic products and environmental concerns. However, organic farmers face challenges for prevention and control of diseases in farm animals and enhanced production because of banning of use of chemical drugs and feed additives. Nevertheless, nutritional technologies are valuable to combat some of the diseases and disorders and for improved health and welfare of the animals.

Parasitic management program in organic farming could be practiced through improved nutrition, and pasture and grazing management in combination. Supplementation of high amount of dietary protein in the form of undegradable protein, minerals such as zinc, molybdenum, copper and phosphorus, vitamins such as vitamin A, E and B12 have shown fruitful for resistance, resilience and expression of immunity against nematode infections. Pasture and grazing management, fungal feed additives and botanical dewormers might be of particular interest to decrease the prevalence of nematode infections in animals as well as pastures. Many minerals (iron, zinc, manganese, selenium and copper), vitamins (carotenoids, vitamins E and C), probiotics and pre-biotics have been identified as important for normal immune function and disease resistance in farm animals. Saponins, tannins, essential oils and many other plant secondary metabolites appear to be future potential feed additives to improve ruminant production in organic livestock production system.
Nutritional management plays a bigger role to control and prevent many economically important diseases, better health and enhanced performance of animals in sustainable organic animal farming as compared to conventional farming systems.

(Source: , 17 Aug 2021)

Source Link: http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd19/3/patr19041.htm