Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-wq2xx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-19T16:17:29.970Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluating mountain goat dairy systems for conversion to the organic model, using a multicriteria method

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 October 2011

Y. Mena ,
J. Nahed ,
F. A. Ruiz ,
J. B. Sánchez-Muñoz ,
J. L. Ruiz-Rojas  and
J. M. Castel
Y. Mena*
Affiliation:
ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla, Carretera de Utrera km. 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
J. Nahed
Affiliation:
El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Carretera Panamericana y Periférico Sur s/n, 29290 San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
F. A. Ruiz
Affiliation:
IFAPA Centro “Camino de Purchil”, Área de Economía y Sociología Agrarias, Apdo. 2027, 18080 Granada, Spain
J. B. Sánchez-Muñoz
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Mexico
J. L. Ruiz-Rojas
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas, Mexico
J. M. Castel
Affiliation:
ETSIA, Universidad de Sevilla, Carretera de Utrera km. 1, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
*
†E-mail: yomena@us.es
Get access

Abstract

Organic farming conserves natural resources, promotes biodiversity, guarantees animal welfare and obtains healthy products from raw materials through natural processes. In order to evaluate possibilities of increasing organic animal production, this study proposes a farm-scale multicriteria method for assessing the conversion of dairy goat systems to the organic model. In addition, a case study in the Northern Sierra of Seville, southern Spain, is analysed. A consensus of expert opinions and a field survey are used to validate a list of potential indicators and issues for assessing the conversion, which consider not only the European Community regulations for organic livestock farming, but also agroecological principles. As a result, the method includes 56 variables integrated in nine indicators: Nutritional management, Sustainable pasture management, Soil fertility and contamination, Weed and pest control, Disease prevention, Breeds and reproduction, Animal welfare, Food safety and Marketing and management. The nine indicators are finally integrated in a global index named OLPI (Organic Livestock Proximity Index). Application of the method to a case study with 24 goat farms reveals an OLPI value of 46.5% for dairy goat farms located in mountain areas of southern Spain. The aspects that differ most from the agroecological model include soil management, animal nutrition and product marketing. Results of the case study indicate that the proposed method is easy to implement and is useful for quantifying the approximation of conventional farms to an organic model.

Keywords

dairy goatsgrazing systemsorganicagroecologyindicator
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 6 , Issue 4 , April 2012 , pp. 693 - 703
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bellon, S, Lamine, C 2009. Conversion to organic farming: a multidimensional research project at the crossroads of agricultural and social sciences – a review. In Sustainable agriculture (ed. E Lichtfouse, M Navarrete, P Debaeke, V Souchère and C Alberola), pp. 653–663. Springer Publishing, Heidelberg, Germany.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benoit, M, Laignel, G 2009. Performances techniques et économiques en élevage biologique d'ovins viande: observations en réseaux d’élevage et fermes expérimentales. INRA Productions Animales 22, 197–206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benoit, M, Tournadre, H, Dulphy, JP, Laignel, G, Prache, S, Cabaret, J 2009. Comparaison de deux systèmes d’élevage biologique d'ovins allaitants différant par le rythme de reproduction: une approche expérimentale pluridisciplinaire. INRA Productions Animales 22, 207–220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bernués, A, Ruiz, R, Olaizola, A, Villalba, D, Casasús, I 2011. Sustainability of pasture-based livestock farming systems in the European Mediterranean context: synergies and trade-offs. Livestock Science 139, 44–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bockstaller, C, Guichard, L, Makowski, D, Aveline, A, Girardin, P, Plantureux, S 2009. Agri-environmental indicators to assess cropping and farming system: a review. In Sustainable agriculture (ed. E Lichtfouse, M Navarrete, P Debaeke, V Souchère and C Alberola), pp. 725–739. Springer Publishing, Heidelberg, Germany.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boongoen, T, Shen, Q 2009. Semi-supervised OWA aggregation for link-based similarity evaluation and alias detection. FUZZ-IEEE (Korea) 20, 288–293.Google Scholar
Castel, JM, Ruiz, FA, Mena, Y, Sánchez Rodríguez, M 2010. Present situation and perspectives of goat production systems in Spain. Small Ruminant Research 85, 42–49.Google Scholar
Castel, JM, Mena, Y, Ruiz, FA, Camúñez-Ruiz, J, Sánchez-Rodríguez, M 2011. Changes occurring in dairy goat production systems in less favoured areas of Spain. Small Ruminant Research 93, 83–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coffey, L, Reynolds, J, Hale, M 2004. Small ruminant sustainability checksheet. Livestock Production Guide, 1-800-346-9140, ATTRA. Retrieved May 5, 2010, from http://www.attra.ncat.orgGoogle Scholar
Commission Regulation (EC) No. 889/2008 of 5 September 2008 laying down detailed rules for implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 on organic production and labeling of organic products with regards to organic production, labelling and control.Google Scholar
Council Regulation (EC) No. 834/2007 of 28 June 2007 on organic production and labelling of organic products and repealing Regulation (ECC) No. 2092/91.Google Scholar
Cuchillo, M, Delgadillo, C, Navarro, A, Pérez-Gil, F 2009. Antioxidant activity, bioactive polyphenols in Mexican goats’ milk cheeses on summer grazing. Journal of Dairy Research 76, 1–7.Google Scholar
Darnhofer, I, Lindenthal, T, Bartel-Kratocvhvil, R, Zollitsch, W 2010. Conventionalisation of organic farming practices: from structural criteria towards an assessment based on organic principles: a review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 30, 67–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Rancourt, M, Fois, N, Lavín, MP, Tchakérian, E, Vallerand, F 2006. Mediterranean sheep and goat production: an uncertain future. Small Ruminant Research 62, 167–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dubeuf, JP, Ruiz Morales, FA, Castel Genís, JM 2010. Initiatives and projects to promote the Mediterranean local cheeses and their relations to the development of livestock systems and activities. Small Ruminant Research 93, 67–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Falconi, F, Burbano, R 2004. Instrumentos económicos para la gestión ambiental: decisiones monocriteriales versus decisiones multicriteriales. Revista Iberoamericana de Economía Ecológica 1, 11–20.Google Scholar
Galán, MB, Peschard, D, Boizard, H 2007. ISO 14001 at the farm level: analysis of five methods for evaluating the environmental impact of agricultural practices. Journal of Environmental Management 82, 341–352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gallopín, GC 1997. Indicators and their use: information for decision making. In Sustainability indicators: report of the project on indicators of sustainable development (ed. B Moldan and S Billhartz), pp. 13–27. SCOPE Wiley and Sons Ltd, Chichester, UK.Google Scholar
García, A, Perea, JM, Acero, R, Valerio, D, Ramos, JA 2008. Producción ecológica de caprino de leche. In Producción Ecológica: influencia en el desarrollo rural (ed. G Guzmán, A García, A Alonso and JM Perea), pp. 467–498. Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs Publishing, Madrid, Spain.Google Scholar
García-Martínez, A, Olaizola, A, Bernués, A 2009. Trajectories of evolution and drivers of change in European mountain cattle farming systems. Animal 3, 152–165.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grabisch, M 1995. Fuzzy integral in multicriteria decision making. Fuzzy Sets and Systems 69, 279–298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, D, Hovi, M 2001. Sanidad y bienestar de los animales en las explotaciones ecológicas. In Ganadería ecológica (ed. D Younie and JM Wilkinson), pp. 35–55. Acribia Publishing, Zaragoza, Spain.Google Scholar
Grimm, JW, Wozniak, PR 1990. Basic social statistics and quantitative research methods. Wadsworth Publishing Co., Belmont, CA, USA.Google Scholar
Guzmán, CGI, Alonso, MA 2001. Diseño del proceso de transición a agricultura ecológica. In La práctica de la agricultura y ganadería ecológica (ed. Comité Andaluz de Agricultura Ecologica), pp. 341–348. Comité Andaluz de Agricultura Ecológica Publishing, Seville, Spain.Google Scholar
Hadjigeorgiou, I, Osoro, K, Fragoso de Almeida, JP, Molle, G 2005. Southern European grazing lands: production, environmental and landscape management aspects. Livestock Production Science 96, 51–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) 2009. The principles of organic agriculture. Retrieved January 13, 2011, from http://www.ifoam.org/about_ifoam/principles/index.htmlGoogle Scholar
Labrador, J, Sarandon, S 2001. Aproximación a las bases del pensamiento agroecológico. In Agroecología y desarrollo: aproximación a los fundamentos agroecológicos para la gestión sustentable de agrosistemas mediterráneos (ed. J Labrador and MA Altieri), pp. 21–48. Mundiprensa Publishing, Madrid, Spain.Google Scholar
LaSalle, T, Happerly, P, Diop, A 2008. The Organic Green Revolution. Rodale Institute Publishing, Pennsylvania, USA.Google Scholar
Lu, CD, Gangyi, X, Kawas, JR 2010. Organic goat production, processing, and marketing: opportunities, challenges and outlook. Small Ruminant Research 89, 102–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manly, BFJ 2004. Multivariate statistical methods a primer. Chapman & Hall/CRC, Florida, USA.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM) 2009. Organic production statistics. Retrieved January 3, 2011, from http://www.marm.esGoogle Scholar
Mata, MC 2001. Bases técnicas de la ganadería ecológica. In La práctica de la agricultura y ganadería ecológica (ed. Comité Andaluz de Agricultura Ecologica), pp. 163–177. Comité Andaluz de Agricultura Ecológica, Seville, Spain.Google Scholar
Mena, Y, Nahed, J, Ruíz, FA, Castel, JM, Ligero, M 2009a. Proximity to the organic model of dairy goat systems in the Andalusian mountains (Spain). Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystem 11, 69–73.Google Scholar
Mena, Y, Ligero, M, Ruíz, FA, Nahed, J, Castel, JM, Acosta, JM, Guzman, JL 2009b. Organic and conventional dairy goat production systems in Andalusian mountains areas. Options Méditerranéennes Série A 91, 253–256.Google Scholar
Müller-Lindenlauf, M, Deittert, Ch, Köpke, U 2010. Assessment of environmental effects, animal welfare and milk quality among organic dairy farms. Livestock Science 128, 140–148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munda, G 2004. Multicriteria methods and multicriteria processes for social evaluation of public policy. Revista Iberoamericana de Economía Ecológica 1, 31–45.Google Scholar
Munda, G, Nijkamp, P, Rietveld, P 1994. Fuzzy multigroup conflict resolution for environmental management. In The economic of project appraisal and the environment (ed. J Weiss), pp. 161–183. Edward Elgar Publishing, Aldershot, UK.Google Scholar
Nahed, TJ, Castel, JM, Mena, Y, Caravaca, F 2006. Appraisal of the sustainability of dairy goat systems in Southern Spain according to their degree of intensification. Livestock Science 101, 10–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Napolitano, F, De Rosa, G, Ferrante, V, Grasso, F, Braghieri, A 2009. Monitoring the welfare of sheep in organic and conventional farms using an ANI 35 L derived method. Small Ruminant Research 83, 49–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nardone, A, Zervas, G, Ronchi, B 2004. Sustainability of small ruminant organic of production. Livestock Production Science 90, 27–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nauta, WJ, Baars, T, Bovenhuis, H 2006. Converting to organic dairy farming: consequences of production, somatic cells scores and calving interval of first parity Holstein cows. Livestock Production Science 99, 185–195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olivares, PR, Gómez, CMA, Meraz, AM 2005. Potential for conversion of conventional livestock farms to organic production systems in the State of Tabasco. Técnicas Pecuarias Mexicanas 43, 361–370.Google Scholar
Peacock, C, Sherman, DM 2010. Sustainable goat production – some global perspectives. Small Ruminant Research 89, 225–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phythian, CJ, Michalopoulou, E, Jones, PH, Winter, AC, Clarkson, MJ, Stubbings, LA, Grove-White, D, Cripps, PJ, Duncan, JS 2011. Validating indicators of sheep welfare through a consensus of expert opinion. Animal 5, 943–952.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pimentel, D, Hepperli, P, Hanson, J, Douds, D, Seidel, R 2005. Environmental, energetic, and economic comparisons of organic and conventional farming systems. BioSience 55, 573–582.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pingali, P, Raney, T 2005. From the green revolution to the gene revolution: how will the poor fare? ESA Working paper No. 05-09. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.Google Scholar
Ronchi, B, Nardone, A 2003. Contribution of organic farming to increase sustainability of Mediterranean small ruminants systems. Livestock Production Science 80, 17–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rozzi, P, Miglior, F, Hands, J 2007. A total Merit Selection Index for Ontario Organic Dairy Farmers. Journal Dairy Science 90, 1584–1593.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ruiz, FA, Castel, JM, Mena, Y, Camúñez, J, González-Redondo, P 2008. Application of the technico-economic analysis for characterizing, making diagnoses and improving pastoral dairy goat systems in Andalusia (Spain). Small Ruminant Research 77, 208–220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ruiz, FA, Mena, Y, Castel, JM, Guinamard, C, Bossis, N, Caramelle-Holtz, E, Contu, M, Sitzia, M, Fois, N 2009. Dairy goat grazing systems in Mediterranean regions: a comparative analysis in Spain, France and Italy. Small Ruminant Research 85, 42–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SPSS Inc . 2006. SPSS users manual base 15.0. SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA.Google Scholar
Statistical Institute of Andalusia-Andalusian Government (SIA-AG) 2008. Official statistics. Retrieved January 3, 2011, from http://www.juntadeandalucia.es:9002/Google Scholar
Vaarst, M, Padel, S, Hovi, M, Younie, D, Sundrum, A 2005. Sustaining animal health and food safety in European organic livestock farming. Livestock Production Science 94, 61–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yager, RR 1991. Connectives and quantifiers in fuzzy sets. Fuzzy Sets and Systems 40, 39–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zar, JH 1984. Biostatistical analysis, 2nd edition. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, USA.Google Scholar