Abstract
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.
Original language | English |
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Pages | 26-28 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Publication status | Published - 2002 |