PERSPECTIVES OF SLOVENIAN ANIMAL PRODUCTION ARE IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Jože OSTERC ^a), Ivan ŠTUHEC, Nežika PETRIČ and Antonija HOLCMAN
^a) Univ. of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Fac., Zootechnical Dept., Groblje 3, SI-1230 Domžale, Slovenia, Prof., Ph.D.

Review paper
Language: English

ABSTRACT
Due to the karst and gravely agricultural land, Slovenia is very sensitive as far as the agricultural production is concerned. For this reason sustainable agriculture is most suitable, set on contemporary ecological, ethological, ethical and socio-economic requirements. The later apply also for animal production. Consumers are concerned about the over-all quality of animal origin products, which can best be achieved by sustainable production methods. Most legal acts and laws have already been accepted, providing fundamentals for the sustainable production methods to be put into practice. Integrated production is spreading rapidly in crop production, more than 50% of new orchards and fields for growing vegetables are included to integrated production control. 4.4% farmland is in ecological agricultural control, and 632 farms already possess the Certificate, which enables them to sell their ecological products, most of them being from animal production and mountain farms. The highest rank in ecological cattle production has the production of suckler cows with the trade mark “Pohorje beef”. Sustainable steer and copon production are also ranking high. The interest for sustainable farming of any kind of farm animals is increasing, mostly in case of cattle and small ruminant production.

Key words: sustainable agriculture / animal production / Slovenia

Boris ANTUNOVIĆ ^a), Gordana KRALIK and Tihomir FLORIJANČIĆ
^a) Josip Juraj Strossmayer Univ. of Osijek, Fac. of Agriculture, Dept. for Animal Husbandry, Trg svetog Trojstva 3, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia, e-mail: bantun@pfos.hr, Univ. Lecturer, Ph.D., M.Sc.

Review paper
Language: English

SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE DAIRY PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN MOUNTAIN AREAS

Giulio COZZI ^a) and Marina BIZZOTTO
^a) Dipartimento di Scienze Zootecniche, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, Agripolis, IT-35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy, full professor, e-mail: giulio.cozzi@unipd.it.

Review paper
Language: English

ABSTRACT
Driven by a favourable milk price and by a convenient cost of the energy concentrates, in the last 2 decades the dairy farming in the mountain regions has seen a continuous growth of intensive systems of production. The intensive alpine farm can be easily recognized by its high productive records obtained by milking cows of specialized dairy breeds fed high concentrate diets. However, this system of production has shown a negative impact on both the mountain environment and the welfare of the animal and today it is questionable also from the economic point of view. Top producing dairy cows do not cope well with a tough environment like the alpine one. To preserve this fragile ecosystem, instead, there is a need to develop a dairy farming system which must be sustainable for the animal and the environment and economically feasible. This study analyses the main technical features and guidelines of this new way of dairy farming in the Alpine region along with the additional options which can increase its profitability.

Key words: dairy cattle / milk production / farming systems / environment / mountain areas / ecology / animal welfare

PRESENT SITUATION OF THE HUNGARIAN ANIMAL PRODUCTION CONSIDERING THE ECOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL STANDARDS

József STEFLER ^a), Ferenc BOGENFÜRST, László CSATÓ, Sándor MAKRAY, Zoltán SÜTŐ, Zsolt SZENDRŐ and Gyula TOLDI
^a) Univ. of Kaposvár, Fac. of Animal Science, Guba S. u. 40, H-7400 Kaposvár, Hungary, Prof., Ph.D.

Commentary
Language: English

ABSTRACT
In the Hungarian animal production application of the EU standards for animal and environment protection, ethical regulations need dramatically changes. In the derogation period (2007–2010) deep and costly changes have to happen first of all in concentrate consuming species (poultry, pig). In case of ruminants the situation is not so severe, therefore adjustment is possible before the deadline. As part of regulations (protection against cage keeping, alternative, yard keeping, etc.) can be discussed professionally, since these increase costs, and quality of products, criteria of food safety are questionable. Because of it further scientific investigations and analyze of these experiences will be needed to make rational decisions.

Key words: animal production / environment protection / animal protection / ethics / Hungary / EU

John HODGES ^a)
a) Lofererfeld 16, A-5730 Mittersill, Austria, e-mail: hodgesjohn@compuserve.com, Prof., Ph.D.

Review paper
Language: English

ABSTRACT
Enlargement of the EU in 2004 from 15 to 25 countries was a significant moment in European history. The process of bringing countries and peoples together is likely to continue forming a larger EU and Greater Europe. The formation of Europe over many millennia has created diverse ethnic groups, cultures and languages. The genetic and cultural origins are briefly described. European values developed under Judea-Christian influences. The EU is not intended to homogenize this human biodiversity but to provide unity without uniformity. The paper focuses upon agriculture as a historic formative influence and argues that its future role must embrace rural and environmental quality of life issues as well as food. The model of intensification and scale in agriculture developed in the 20^th century in Western Europe under government policies has brought an abundance of cheap food and also massive demographic movements of people from rural to urban locations. The paper argues that this model should not be adopted for the enlarged EU and Greater Europe because of the inevitable consequence of further migrations of up to 73 million people from the land, creating enormous new socio-economic problems. The paper calls for animal and agricultural scientists to develop, with other disciplines, a new model for European agriculture which will not divide rural from urban society and will enable the former to share prosperity and quality of life with the latter. New values of community and recognition of social capital are needed if this endeavour is to succeed.

Key words: agriculture / animal science / scientists / science / EU

Simon J. OOSTING ^a)
a) Animal Production Systems Group, Dept. of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, NL-6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands, Ph.D., M.Sc.

Review paper
Language: English

ABSTRACT
Agricultural land in the Netherlands is predominantly used for dairy farming. Starting centuries ago farmers specialised, intensified and strived for scale increase in order to make a high quality low cost production. The Dutch dairy sector was successful in this respect and became an important exporter of dairy products and cattle, and many if not all Dutchmen were proud of the achievements of the dairy sector. Things have changed, however. Present-day middle-aged and younger generations predominantly grew up in urban areas, and the threat of food shortages is far from everybody and the window on food stops at the supermarket for most consumers. Dutchmen are no longer proud of their agriculture; on the contrary: many blame agriculture to negatively affects nature, air and water quality, animal welfare and rural social coherence as a result of the rationalised, economy-oriented development strategies. At the same time, economics of dairy farming are under pressure and average age of dairy farmers is high with only 10 to 25 percent of them having a successor. Many farmers quit and farm land is becoming available for up-scaling by others; farm houses are being occupied by citizens bringing with them the relatively new phenomenon of hobby farms, where livestock is kept as a leisure activity. So, many conflicting claims are put on land use, which became apparent during a Foot and Mouth Disease epidemic in 2001. It is widely realised now that the big challenge is to develop a new sustainable form of land use. What can be seen at present is a diversity of initiatives in rural areas where farmers combine dairy farming with recreation activities, nature and landscape schemes and green care (day activities for care-needing people), and where farmers and citizens cooperate to improve their living environment. The present paper describes some examples of this diversified development.

Key words: sustainable agriculture / dairy farming / The Netherlands

Eberhard von BORELL ^{a), b)} and Frank M. MITLOEHNER
^a) Martin-Luther-Univ. Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry with Veterinary Clinic, Adam-Kuckhoff-Str. 35, D-06108 Halle, Germany, Prof., Ph.D., e-mail: BORELL@landw.uni-halle.de.
^b) Univ. of California, Dept. of Animal Science, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616-8521, USA, Prof., Ph.D.

Review paper
Language: English

ABSTRACT
The welfare, health and management of farm animals as well as environmental concerns are relevant issues that impact the success of the producer in the market and need to be considered to increase public and consumer acceptance. Criteria for the assessment of housing and management systems have been proposed by several groups and minimal standards for animal welfare, hygiene and environmental stewardship are already implemented in the legislation of most European countries. Issues of animal welfare, health and environmental care are often dealt with separately. As it can be foreseen that housing and management conditions will be increasingly regulated in future, a documentation and certification process that safeguards all requirements is needed. Concepts for the assessment of animal housing and management according to welfare and environmental criteria are proposed as part of a quality assurance scheme according to international standards. Based on these concepts, critical control points (CCP) and critical management points (CMP) have been developed for the categories health, behaviour, management and environmental impact. These criteria were first established to be used primarily by the farmer as an internal on-farm assessment scheme. However, they can also serve as quality assurance criteria used by government agencies, consumer organisations and commodity groups that have an interest to evaluate, monitor and licence housing and management systems. The following paper reviews quality assurance issues using examples from existing concepts in Germany (Pig Housing and Management Assessment according to Welfare and Environmental Criteria) and the United States (California Dairy Quality Assurance Program).

Keywords: pigs / dairy cows / animal welfare / quality assurance / environmental care