Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Ration Planning Among German Organic Pig and Poultry Farmers

TL;DR

German organic pig and poultry farmers have varying attitudes toward ration planning, with many unsure about animal nutrient needs and feeding guidelines.

Contribution

The study identifies distinct farmer groups based on attitudes toward ration planning and highlights widespread deviations from feeding recommendations.

Findings

Many farmers are uncertain about animal nutrient requirements and the consequences of inappropriate feeding.

60% of feed rations examined deviated significantly from feeding recommendations.

Three distinct farmer groups were identified based on their attitudes and feeding practices.

Abstract

In organic farming, it is often a challenge to provide young pigs and poultry with the nutrients they need because of limited feed sources and restrictions on the additives that can be used. Asking pig and poultry farmers in Germany about their attitudes and beliefs towards ration planning and examining their feeding management, we found that groups of farmers were characterised by similar attitudes. We found that many farmers were uncertain about their animals’ needs and the consequences of inappropriate feeding. In line with this, we found that many feed rations deviated significantly from feeding recommendations. We conclude that many organic farmers would benefit from more guidance on feeding for the benefit of the animals in their care.

Providing young monogastric animals with the essential amino acids they need is challenging in organic feeding. The nutrient content of organic feeds varies widely, and additives are restricted, so feed rations must be formulated based on analysis. A survey of 56 organic pig and poultry farmers in Germany was carried out to investigate their attitudes towards ration planning and to examine and evaluate the feeding management on their farms. Principal component analysis was used to characterise the different attitudes. Cluster analysis revealed three groups: Farmers in Group 1 (n = 28) were uncertain about the nutrient requirements of organic animals. They accepted the importance of need-based feeding for health and performance, but did not recognise the importance of regular ration adjustments and were uncertain about the animals’ ability to compensate for deficiencies. In Group 2 (n = 11), need-based feeding and regular ration adjustments were most important to farmers, who were more likely to have professional feeding systems. In Group 3 (n = 17), farmers were least uncertain about nutrient requirements and did not believe that animals would lower their demand when undersupplied. Although the importance of need-based feeding was recognised, regular ration adjustment was of little importance for this group. Across all farms, 60% of the feed rations examined deviated significantly from recommendations. It is concluded that organic farmers need more guidance and perhaps pressure to fulfil their responsibility to provide their animals with the nutrients they need.

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