Title: Organic milk production from a Danish perspective.
Abstract: Organic milk production is no new phenomenon. Idealistic farmers and consumers organized internationally in IFOAM have, for quite a number of years, worked to promote fertilizer-free and pesticide-free farming The natural fertility of the soil, the well-being of our livestock and the protection of the environment are and have always been the foundation of the organic movement. The focus of the organic farmer is on comprehensiveness. The organic rules are dynamic and developed jointly by researchers, authorities, farmers and consumers. Recently the use of genetically modified organisms (GMO) was prohibited in organic farming. The rules are about to be harmonized in the EU. Organic dairy cows must be turned out to pasture in the summer months and certain requirements have been formulated as to housing, exercise, organic feed share as well as restrictive rules concerning medication. Furthermore, the use of additives when processing the milk is not allowed. Dairy cows fit in very well with organic farming. Their microbial ruminal degradation process allows the intake of large quantities of clover and grass which constitute the engine, pulling the organic crop rotation schemes because pulses are capable of fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere. The demand for organic dairy products has been explosive over the past 4 - 5 years. In Denmark more than 23% of the 1 iquid milk sold today is organic.
Publication Year: 2000
Publication Date: 2000-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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