16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/12445
Principles and practicality of organic dairy cattle breeding:
different options and implications
Nauta, W.J..1 & Roep, D.2
Key words: organic breeding, dairy cattle, organic principles, strategies of
development
Abstract
As yet there is no set of generally acknowledged rules for organic animal breeding.
Most organic farmers depend on conventional breeding programmes, which conflict
with organic principles. Do we need a separate, distinct organic breeding system? And
how can we support the development of organic breeding? These questions were
explored in a PhD study. In general organic farmers and other interest groups express
the need for a separate, fully organic breeding system, particularly in view of the
modern reproduction technologies used in conventional breeding. Also the difference
in the magnitude of GxE between organic and conventional milk production indicates
that a separate breeding program might be needed. In practice, however, organic
farmers respond to different, and sometimes opposing, strategic and practical
considerations. In this situation three options are identified in the development of
organic breeding: adaptation of conventional breeding, an organic breeding program
and improved natural breeding. Each path has its own implications and demands.
Organic breeding is the subject of experimentation and learning on the one hand and
of social debate on organic principles on the other. This process needs to be
enhanced and interconnected, before well-founded decisions can be taken on further
development of organic breeding.
Introduction
At the majority of organic farms animal breeding is not organic since most farmers
depend on bulls from conventional breeding programmes. This is because there is no
official organic supply of breeding bulls. Does organic production need a (selective)
organic breeding system distinct from conventional breeding? If this is the goal, what
kind of organisation and structure should this selective breeding be based on, and
how can the development of such a breeding system be supported?
To answer these questions, three aspects of breeding were explored in a PhD study:
farmers views on organic breeding (Nauta et al., 2005); differences and the magnitude
of GxE between conventional and organic milk production (Nauta et al., 2006a +
2006b), and the demand for breeding among organic dairy farmers (Nauta et al.,
2007). In general farmers favoured the development of a breeding system based on
the principles of organic farming, which they see as an obvious extension of their own
preference for organic production (Nauta et al, 2005). Interest groups also see a need
for organic animal breeding to improve the image of organic farming. This is mainly a
1 Louis Bolk Institute LBI, Hoofdstraat 24, 3972LA Driebergen, The Netherlands,
E-Mail w.Nauta@louisbolk.nl, Internet www.louisbolk.nl
2 Rural Sociology Group, Wageningen University, Hollandseweg 1, NL-6706 KN, Wageningen,
The Netherlands.
16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/12445
reaction to the artificial reproduction technologies used in conventional breeding, such
as embryo transfer (ET) and IVF.
Breeding bulls from conventional breeding schemes are selected based on estimated
breeding values. The reliability of these breeding values is different for organic farmers
due to the difference in GxE between conventional and organic production. A first
exploration of the magnitude of this GxE showed a genetic correlation of 0.80 between
organic and conventional milk production. This means that this magnitude is of
“considerable” importance (Mathur & Horst, 1998) and that conventional breeding
values are less reliable for organic farmers.
The demand for breeding among Dutch organic dairy farmers is very diverse. Farmers
are experimenting and searching for a suitable type of cow (Nauta et al., 2007). This
may be due to the lack of suitable information and the more multi-purpose use of
animals, including their cultural and historical values. Cross-breeding with robust
breeds is also popular among organic dairy farmers (Nauta et al., 2006a).
The question is how to support the development of organic breeding. In this paper we
will focus on three possible options for the development of organic breeding and
describe considerations affecting the decisions farmers make concerning cattle
breeding. We further describe how to deal with and support this process of
development of organic breeding.
Material and Methods
The results of these three studies were used to develop three possible options for
further development of dairy cattle breeding in organic farming and to describe how to
deal with and support this process.
Results: Different options for organic breeding.
From those three studies, three main options for dairy cattle breeding can be
identified:
1.
2.
3.
Adaptation of conventional breeding and service based on insights into G x E and
specific organic needs.
Additional organic breeding program based on the organic population (selection
of animals within organic herds).
Improved natural breeding (farm or regionally based).
The first option is still close to conventional breeding since it uses the same breeding
programs and animals. For this option the breeding values of bulls can, when needed,
be adapted to the organic production system based on information on GxE, as
Interbull does when adapting breeding values for different countries (Interbull, 2007).
Female reproduction with super ovulation, oocyte pick up, in vitro fertilisation, embryo
culture and ET will be restricted by using ET-free bulls.
For the second option, the entire breeding program should be organic using animals
exclusively from organic farms. Bulls will be tested and selected based on the
performance of daughters on organic farms. There will be no use of multiple ovulation,
16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/12445
ovum pick up and IVF and/or ET. However, the use of AI must be used to estimate
breeding values in a testing scheme.
The third option is based on natural mating and selection of animals at the farm level.
This system needs a totally different structure compared to the AI structure. The bulls
can, for example, be selected from a kin-breeding scheme on a farm or group of farms
(Nauta and Cazemier, 2005). Other farms can purchase bulls from breeding farms.
Such ‘user farms’ will make use of the breeding progress on the breeding farms, and
also have the option of crossbreeding. These three options for breeding can be seen
as a stepwise development towards a natural breeding system.
Discussion: Considerations concerning organic breeding
Between the three options, there are barriers which prevent farmers and other
stakeholders from taking steps towards breeding that is more in line with the organic
principles (Nauta et al, 2003). However, other farmers just make the transition towards
‘organic’ breeding. An important barrier is the keeping of bulls at the farm. Bulls are
dangerous and special housing is needed but space is limited at many farms. It is the
ease of ordering an AI from a bull by phone that keeps farmers to using conventional
breeding (Nauta et al., 2005). At the same time more and more organic farmers are
taking the opposite view and starting natural service (Nauta et al., 2007). Many
farmers see benefits to keeping bulls on the farm: it is good for the image of their farm,
often economically rewarding and increasing the fertility of the cows.
All three options raise questions about genetic progress. Due to effects of GxE (Nauta
et al. 2006b, Bapst and Stricker, 2007) a separate breeding program might be justified
(Mulder and Bijma, 2005). However, in a closed organic breeding program, with far
fewer animals than the national population (in the Netherlands about 20,000 dairy
cows), less genetic progress can be made (Harder 2002). But the indirect use of
modern reproduction technologies might just force the sector towards a distinct
organic based breeding program. If also AI might become limited of forbidden,
breeding must be based on natural mating and will become based at farm level.
Selection within the organic population or farm herd will however, result in less effect
of GxE and genetic progress may not be as fast as in a (world-wide) testing scheme,
but will still be possible (Rendel and Robertson, 1950).
For the whole sector, the main issue is whether the organic sector should continue to
depend on conventional breeding, or whether it will opt for a separate, distinct organic
breeding system, either at farm level or in a structure similar to conventional breeding.
The objectives are clear; generally it is proposed that organic production should be
based on natural integrated processes of animal and crop production using local
resources and closed cycles. Animal health and welfare are also important issues for
the organic sector, and animals should be able to adapt to the local environment (EU,
1999; IFOAM, 2006). However, current animal breeding practices in conventional
breeding programs are in conflict with the rules and objectives.
Conclusion: Development and support of organic breeding
There is still a lack of information for farmers about all the different activities farmers
are in to with their own breeding activities: information on GxE, suitability of
(cross)breeds, excluding ET, breeding at the farm. In our opinion, all these activities
should be supported by providing information to farmers to enable them to make their
16th IFOAM Organic World Congress, Modena, Italy, June 16-20, 2008
Archived at http://orgprints.org/12445
decisions on breeding. Also further discussions are needed with farmers, researchers
and breeding organizations to determine what the organic sector needs in the future .
A start has been made with this PhD, but more information and support are needed.
Also new technologies for selection (marker assisted selection and genome wide
selection) and reproduction (sperm sexing) are being introduced in conventional
breeding programs. These developments may take the use of conventional breeding
to a whole new level. The organic sector still has to develop a view on the use of these
technologies. World-wide they might lead to a further erosion of genetic variation and
harm the integrity of the animals. However, at farm level, in a family breeding scheme,
the new tools like marker assisted selection and sperm sexing may help farmers to
select and breed animals more efficiently.
References.
EU, 1999. Council Regulation No 1804/1999 of July 1999, Supplementing Regulation (EEC) No
2092/91 on Organic Production of Agricultural Products and Indications Referring thereto on
Agricultural Products and Foodstuffs to Include Livestock Production.
IFOAM, 2001, Basic standards for agriculture and food processing and guidelines for social rights
and fair trade. www.IFOAM.org. (Accessed September 2001).
Harder, B., Junge, W.,Bennewitz, J., Kalm, E., 2004. Investigations on breeding plans for organic
dairy cattle. Arch. Tierz., Dummersdorf 47-2, 129-139.
Interbull. 2004. http: // www-interbull.slu.se. (Accessed October 2007).
Lund, V. 2006. Natural living – a precondition for animal welfare in organic farming. Livestock Sci.,
100 (2-3): 71-83.
Mathur, P.K. and Horst, P., 1994. Methods for evaluating genotype-environment interactions
illustrated with laying hens. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 111:265-288.
Mulder, H.A. and Bijma, P., 2005. Effects of genotype x environment interaction on genetic gain in
breeding programs. J. Anim. Sci. 83: 49-61.
Nauta, W.J., Baars, T., Groen, A.F., Veerkamp, R.F., Roep D., 2001. Organic Breeding, a way to
go. Discussion paper. Louis Bolk Institute, Driebergen, www.louisbolk.nl, 80 pp.
Nauta, W.J., Groen, A.F., Veerkamp, R.F., Roep, D., Baars, T.,. 2005. Animal breeding in organic
dairy farming: an inventory of farmers’ views and difficulties to overcome. Neth. J. Anim. Sci.
53-1, 19-34.
Nauta, W.J., Baars T., Cazemier, C.H., 2005. Kinship-breeding as a foundation for organic dairy
production. 15th Organic World Congress of the International Federation of Organic
Agriculture Movements 20-24 September, Adelaide, Australia.
Nauta, W.J., Baars, T., Bovenhuis, H., 2006a. Converting to organic dairy farming: consequences
for production, somatic cell weights and calving interval of first parity Holstein cows.
Livestock Sci., 99, Pages 185-195.
Nauta W. J., Veerkamp, R,F., Brascamp, E.W., Bovenhuis, H., 2006b. Genotype by Environment
Interaction for Milk Production Traits between Organic and Conventional Dairy Cattle
Production in the Netherlands. J. Dairy Sci. 89: 2729-2737.
Nauta, W.J., Baars, T., Saatkamp, H., Weenink, D., Roep, D., Farming strategies in organic dairy
farming: Effects on breeding goal and choice of breed. An explorative study. Livest. Sci.
submitted.
Rendel, J.M., and Robertson, A., 1950. Estimation of genetic gain in milk yield by selection in a
closed herd of dairy cattle. J. Genetics 50, 1-8.