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The increasing demand for organic items including organic dairy products has encouraged many farmers to shift to organic dairy production. However, when a farmer intends to shift to organic dairy farming, lack of information prohibits him from taking any action.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, British Columbia has come forward to guide the farmers in this respect. It has provided guidelines for planning organic dairy farming in individual farms. Similar guidelines have been laid down by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, Canada in its document tilled Guidelines for Dairy Farms Making the Transition to Certified Organic Milk Production.
According to the guidelines provided by Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, British Columbia, the various transition issues in organic milk production include the following:
- Transition Period: If you wish to practice organic dairy farming and wish to avail the certified organic label, you have to carry out the following transitional activities:
- Cattle: You should graze your cattle using organic feed for at least one year.
- Crops and pasture: Your crops and pasture should be grown through organic means for at least 3 years.
- Land:
- It is suggested that the organic cows should have access to field crops and pastures for at least 120 days per year.
- There should be no restriction on the animals for grazing, unless weather forces you to interfere.
- You should not graze your herd on land in which partially decomposed compost has been added.
- Feed:
- The cattle feed should be certified organic feed.
- Additional minerals and vitamins fed to the herd should be obtained from organic sources.
- Antibiotics, drugs, genetically modified feed, hormones, and synthetically extracted, preserved, or colored feed are prohibited.
- Labor: You may require about 20-30% more labor for carrying out various organic operations such as handling, composting and herd health monitoring.
- Herd Health:
- Hormones should not be used for reproductive purposes.
- Antibiotic treatment of milking animals should be followed by a 30-day withdrawal period.
- Cows that have mastitis problems for a long duration should be culled.
- Equipment Sanitation: The organic dairy farm may require additional flushes for milking as well as milk delivery equipment.
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