The only available broiler strain to use in organic chicken meat production, until recently, has been conventional fast growing broiler hybrids. The Rowan Ranger is a broiler strain that has a naturally slower growth rate which makes this strain suitable for organic farming, meeting the demands of KRAV without being subjected to a feed restriction. One of the farms in Sweden using Rowan Ranger in their organic production is Bosarp farm in Skåne County where they produce KRAV certified chickens and where the animals used in this study were raised. This study compared differences between a naturally slow growing strain of chicken to a fast growing strain to see whether there were differences in behaviour between the two, if one of the strains was more susceptive to stress than the other and whether they differed in outdoor use and activity level. Regardless of strain, chickens used the outdoor perimeter the same, although the Rowan Rangers did not range as far from the chicken house as Ross 308. Even so, they seem to be more suitable in an organic setting than Ross 308 due to the fact that they seem less hungry and more content, this based on the fact that they perform less feeding behaviour and spend more time laying down. Also, they grow nicely to slaughter weight with a good diet quality whereas Ross 308 need to be qualitative feed restricted to do the same, giving the Rowan Rangers better welfare.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-12-16Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:17:49Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 galdino_mc_me_botfmvz.pdf: 632898 bytes, checksum: 433aa3531e5df16ba3da7939830197ca (MD5) / O alimento orgânico representa uma demanda crescente da sociedade e uma possibilidade de produção sustentável ao agricultor rural. O tratamento da mastite na produção orgânica exige recursos alternativos ao antimicrobiano, como a homeopatia. Avaliou-se o efeito da administração do complexo homeopático de Phytolacca decandra, Lachesis, Belladona, Phosphorus, Bryonia, Conium maculatum, Apis mellifera, Mercurius solubilis e Pyrogenium CH6 no controle e tratamento da mastite em vacas em sistemas orgânicos de produção leiteira. A Contagem de Células Somáticas (CCS), California Mastitis Test (CMT) e cultivo microbiano foram realizados em amostras de leite de 33 animais de três propriedades, durante quatro semanas antes e quatro semanas durante o tratamento. A mediana da CCS das semanas com administração do medicamento foi significativamente inferior (p < 0,0001) à sem tratamento. Não houve alteração no CMT. Durante o tratamento houve aumento na frequência de isolamentos bacterianos (p < 0,05). O complexo homeopático estudado auxilia na redução da CCS em sistemas orgânicos sem diminuir a contaminação microbiológica / Organic food is a growing demand of society and the possibility of sustainable production to rural farmer. The treatment of mastitis in organic dairy farms requires alternative resources to antimicrobial, like homeopathy. The study has evaluated the effect of the homeopathic complex made with Phytolacca decandra, Lachesis, Belladona, Phosphorus, Bryonia, Conium maculatum, Apis mellifera, Mercurius solubilis and Pyrogenium CH6 in the control and treatment of mastitis. Somatic Cell Count, California Mastitis Test and microbiological culture were performed on milk samples from 33 animals of three organic small farms, for 4 weeks before and 4 weeks during treatment. The median of SCC of weeks with administration of the drug was significantly lower (p <0.0001) compared with no treatment. There was no difference of CMT. During the treatment there was increased frequency of bacterial isolates (p <0.05). Complex homeopathic helps in reducing the CCS in organic systems, but did not reduce the milk contamination

The increase in organic production and consumption demonstrates a movement in favor to alternative forms of food production, aiming to achieve modes that provide health and wellbeing for the producers and consumers, together with environmental preservation. People’s interest in organically produced food is increasing worldwide. Even so, many challenges are faced by the producers, and in this context new forms of organization appear in this market: clusters. The cluster constitute a way to gain competitiveness. In order to explore and better understand this phenomenon, this dissertation aimed, as main objective, to understand the formation of an organic cluster from the perspective of different stakeholders. Through a single embedded case study, this research had a qualitative approach, being the exploratory type. A research protocol along with other cautions in order to gain rigor in the qualitative research. The data were collected through documentary research, in-depth interviews and participatory observations, and analysed through content analysis. As evidence resulting from this study, the following points are highlighted: (1) it was possible to map the cluster and the relations established by the agents; (2) the main drivers of the cluster are mostly related to the pioneerism, institutionalization of the arrangement and its form of management. The barriers are mostly the lack of prepare to deal with tourists, and the marketing initiatives were considered both as a driver and a barrier, since needs to be better developed, but even incipient has some actions established; (3) the main motivations and barriers for the agents to work with organics were confirmed from the literature. The will to educate the consumers, although, was an interesting finding, as one of the drivers; (4) four pillars were identified as fundamental for the cluster, and their structuration and fortification might help the development of the arrangement: to product, to preservate, to show and to educate.

This thesis deals with the questions of farmers' getting their ecological production on the market, the drawbacks of gaining access on the market, what prevents farms from entering the market, and analysis of development of agriculture on ecological farms in the last ten years. In order to obtain questions to these answers it was necessary to conduct a questionnare survey. In order to compare these results, a method of a questionnaire survey from 2004 was selected focusing on the competitiveness of ecological farms. According to the questionnaire survey, the research was compiled and results of the research were compared with the results of the questionnaire survey compiled ten years ago. The research involved areas of north-western part of the Czech Republic and 45 respondents out of 95 farms participated in this research.

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Andrew P. Barkley / The objective of this thesis is to determine the factors that impact the location of organic food production and organic food consumption. The models used test to see if organic foods are consumed where they are produced, the characteristics of consumers which influence their organic consumption, and if organic production is located in the same areas as conventional production. The results of this study showed that organic production is not dependent on conventional production. Education was found to be positively correlated to organic production and consumption while income actually had an opposite effect. Organic production and consumption were also linked to the political liberalness of a state. It was found that urban populations had a negative impact on organic production and Whole Foods stores had a positive effect.

No description available.

A ocupação e o uso do solo pelas atividades agropecuárias alteram sensivelmente os processos biológicos, físicos e químicos dos sistemas naturais. Estas alterações, ocorridas em uma bacia hidrográfica, podem ser avaliadas por intermédio do monitoramento da qualidade da água. Por meio do ciclo hidrológico, as chuvas precipitadas sobre as vertentes irão escoar superficialmente e irão carrear sedimentos e poluentes para a rede de drenagem. Muitos produtores vêm substituindo seus sistemas de produção por sistemas orgânicos, visando minimizar esses problemas. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o impacto da produção orgânica na qualidade da água superficial de uma propriedade rural, que usa sistemas de produção orgânica. Foi realizado o monitoramento de um córrego em vários pontos dentro da propriedade rural, em várias épocas do ano. Concluiu-se que a presença da fazenda ocasionou apenas o aumento da concentração de potássio e uma ligeira redução do potencial redox da água. As demais variáveis avaliadas foram afetadas apenas pela época de amostragem, sendo o efeito da erosão e do arraste de material maior do que o efeito da diluição causado pelas chuvas. / The occupation and use of land for agricultural activities significantly alter biological, physical and chemical natural systems. These changes in a watershed can be assessed by monitoring the water quality. Through the water cycle, the hasty rains on the slopes will seep surface that will silted sediment and pollutants to the drainage network. Many producers have replaced their production systems for organic systems to minimize these problems. This study aimed to assess the impacts of organic production on the quality of surface water in a farm which uses organic production systems. The research was conducted by monitoring in four points a stream within the rural property in many times of the year. We concluded that the farm presence, among fifteen variables, only rase potassium concentration and cause a slight decrease of the redox potential. There were a great effect of erosion and material transport when comparing with dilution caused by precipitation.

Orientador: Paulo Francisco Domingues / Banca: Márcio Garcia Ribeiro / Banca: Nilson Roberti Benites / Resumo: O alimento orgânico representa uma demanda crescente da sociedade e uma possibilidade de produção sustentável ao agricultor rural. O tratamento da mastite na produção orgânica exige recursos alternativos ao antimicrobiano, como a homeopatia. Avaliou-se o efeito da administração do complexo homeopático de Phytolacca decandra, Lachesis, Belladona, Phosphorus, Bryonia, Conium maculatum, Apis mellifera, Mercurius solubilis e Pyrogenium CH6 no controle e tratamento da mastite em vacas em sistemas orgânicos de produção leiteira. A Contagem de Células Somáticas (CCS), California Mastitis Test (CMT) e cultivo microbiano foram realizados em amostras de leite de 33 animais de três propriedades, durante quatro semanas antes e quatro semanas durante o tratamento. A mediana da CCS das semanas com administração do medicamento foi significativamente inferior (p < 0,0001) à sem tratamento. Não houve alteração no CMT. Durante o tratamento houve aumento na frequência de isolamentos bacterianos (p < 0,05). O complexo homeopático estudado auxilia na redução da CCS em sistemas orgânicos sem diminuir a contaminação microbiológica / Abstract: Organic food is a growing demand of society and the possibility of sustainable production to rural farmer. The treatment of mastitis in organic dairy farms requires alternative resources to antimicrobial, like homeopathy. The study has evaluated the effect of the homeopathic complex made with Phytolacca decandra, Lachesis, Belladona, Phosphorus, Bryonia, Conium maculatum, Apis mellifera, Mercurius solubilis and Pyrogenium CH6 in the control and treatment of mastitis. Somatic Cell Count, California Mastitis Test and microbiological culture were performed on milk samples from 33 animals of three organic small farms, for 4 weeks before and 4 weeks during treatment. The median of SCC of weeks with administration of the drug was significantly lower (p <0.0001) compared with no treatment. There was no difference of CMT. During the treatment there was increased frequency of bacterial isolates (p <0.05). Complex homeopathic helps in reducing the CCS in organic systems, but did not reduce the milk contamination / Mestre

A ocupação e o uso do solo pelas atividades agropecuárias alteram sensivelmente os processos biológicos, físicos e químicos dos sistemas naturais. Estas alterações, ocorridas em uma bacia hidrográfica, podem ser avaliadas por intermédio do monitoramento da qualidade da água. Por meio do ciclo hidrológico, as chuvas precipitadas sobre as vertentes irão escoar superficialmente e irão carrear sedimentos e poluentes para a rede de drenagem. Muitos produtores vêm substituindo seus sistemas de produção por sistemas orgânicos, visando minimizar esses problemas. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o impacto da produção orgânica na qualidade da água superficial de uma propriedade rural, que usa sistemas de produção orgânica. Foi realizado o monitoramento de um córrego em vários pontos dentro da propriedade rural, em várias épocas do ano. Concluiu-se que a presença da fazenda ocasionou apenas o aumento da concentração de potássio e uma ligeira redução do potencial redox da água. As demais variáveis avaliadas foram afetadas apenas pela época de amostragem, sendo o efeito da erosão e do arraste de material maior do que o efeito da diluição causado pelas chuvas. / The occupation and use of land for agricultural activities significantly alter biological, physical and chemical natural systems. These changes in a watershed can be assessed by monitoring the water quality. Through the water cycle, the hasty rains on the slopes will seep surface that will silted sediment and pollutants to the drainage network. Many producers have replaced their production systems for organic systems to minimize these problems. This study aimed to assess the impacts of organic production on the quality of surface water in a farm which uses organic production systems. The research was conducted by monitoring in four points a stream within the rural property in many times of the year. We concluded that the farm presence, among fifteen variables, only rase potassium concentration and cause a slight decrease of the redox potential. There were a great effect of erosion and material transport when comparing with dilution caused by precipitation.

Management practices on organic farms in Saskatchewan are largely unstudied, as are their effect on weed populations and soil quality. The objective of this study was to document what management practices are used on organic farms, classify those practices into management systems and determine if those management systems affect weed populations and soil properties. During the 2002 growing season 73 organic fields in the province of Saskatchewan were surveyed. Three components comprised the data set for each field: a management questionnaire, weed counts, and soil samples that were collected and analyzed for various soil properties. Classification of the management practices identified farming systems: the diverse cropping system, the diverse cropping system using green manure, the low diversity cropping system using summerfallow, and the moderately diverse cropping system using perennials in rotation. Ordination of weed data and the four systems was done with redundancy analysis. It determined that the farm management systems only accounted for 5% of the variation in the weed populations. The only system that affected the weed populations was the moderately diverse cropping system using perennials in rotation. Soil properties were compared among the different management systems. Soil properties were not different between the diverse cropping system using green manure, and the low diversity cropping system using summerfallow. The system that included perennials in rotation had significantly lower pH, electrical conductivity, soil organic matter, phosphorous and potassium levels. The nutrient levels in all systems were low, underscoring the importance of nutrient additions to export farming systems.