An overview of the role and potential of forage production on lowland organic livestock systems

UK Organic Research 2002. Proceedings of the Colloquium of Organic Reseachers (COR) Conference, Aberystwyth, 26-28 March 2002 This paper outlines some of the factors influencing the level of forage production on organic lowland farms. Optimal forage production is achieved by maintaining soil fertility, providing a balance between N-fixing and N-demanding crops and producing sufficient quantities of quality feed to meet the requirements of the organic livestock enterprise. A key objective for organic systems is to increase the efficiency of forage production by improving the nutrient input/output balance of the wholefarm system. Improving forage quality reduces the requirement for external feed sources, leading to increased self-sufficiency in the wholefarm system. Legumes provide the main source of nitrogen for forage production with energy shortage and an erratic supply of protein the main limiting factors in the provision of balanced diets from home-grown crops.