English These resources look at how the right varieties of plants and hardy livestock breeds make them disease resistant and how as a result they play an important part in integrated pest management systems.
Guidelines for on-farm variety testing
This is one of a series of practice abstracts produced as part of the LIVESEED research project. LIVESEED (Boosting organic seed and plant breeding across Europe) is based on the concept that cultivars adapted to organic systems are key for realising the full potential of organic agriculture in Europe. The choice of varieties well adapted to organic conditions are limited. Simple on-farm testing is possible. This is a great quick reference for farmers interested in carrying out some on-farm variety testing and needing some basic guidance. It includes some useful practical tips for testing both direct-sown and transplanted crops.
Dutch courage: The potato covenant model shows the way – blog article
Across the channel in the Netherlands a remarkable thing is happening. The whole supply chain has worked together through the ‘Potato Covenant’ to shift the organic potato sector to 100% use of robust, blight-resistant varieties.
Potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is the most important potato disease in the world. There has been a lot of effort gone into conventional breeding of blight resistant varieties. But, the introduction of novel cultivars often meets with … er…resistance as retailers’ and/or consumers’ awareness must be raised in order to open the market.
Populations: diversity in plant breeding
Organic crop production requires plant varieties that are resistant to disease, competitive against weeds and effective at scavenging for nutrients. This leaflet summarises information about the ORC Wakelyns Population. The organic wheat population was launched in July 2015 as a result of an evolutionary breeding program pioneered by the Organic Research Centre (ORC). The huge diversity it offers fits well with the requirements of both low-input and organic farming. The leaflet explains that the benefits of diversity of wheat populations is understood within agriculture but until recently has not been a viable option.
Sustainable Control of Crop Pests
This PDF is a succinct 5-page summary of a 125-page report on biological control methods for major UK crop pests. The review was carried out by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust with support from the Frank Parkinson Agricultural Trust.
Information is based on novel and age-old techniques to sustainably manage crop pests, including manipulation of farm ecological infrastructure and modification of tillage regimes.
Rare Breed Survival Trust website
The Rare Breed Survival Trust’s mission is to work towards having all rare breeds on the watch list stable by 2028. Their website provides information on how they aim to reach this goal.
The GAP Breed Profiles Handbook
This handbook is a guide to the selection of livestock breeds for grazing wildlife sites. This in depth, 100 page resource takes the reader through each livestock type and breed.
Feeding livestock on pasture-based diets
This abstract was composed as part of a Defra funded project looking at organic management techniques that could be applied on non-organic farms and help improve sustainability. It describes information on pasture-fed livestock production and lists the main agronomic, economic and/or ecological value you can expect to gain from applying the method. It includes practical recommendations that will help you implement the method on your farm and other useful information such as the time of year you could apply the method, suitability according to your farming system, and equipment required. It also includes a case study of a farmer who is applying the practice. Potential benefits and potential barriers you would need to consider, financial implications, and how it relates to legislation are also listed.
LowInputBreeds project website
LowInputBreeds – Development of integrated livestock breeding and management strategies to improve animal health, product quality and performance in European organic and ‘low input’ milk, meat and egg production was a 5-year (2009-2014) EU Collaborative Project, funded under the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities.
FarmHealthOnline.com – extensive animal health & welfare knowledge hub
Farm Health Online is a knowledge hub providing comprehensive information on sustainable approaches to enhancing the health and welfare of farmed livestock. We have achieved this by converting existing scientific knowledge into accessible and practical advice and information for farmers so as to aid the decision making process and to enable proactive animal health and welfare planning. The website contains information on many disease management and health and welfare issues for a range of species, as well as answering key contemporary veterinary questions.
Breeding cows suitable for low-input and organic dairy systems
For an efficient, low-input forage-based milk production system, you need to have a cow that can consume large quantities of forage per unit bodyweight, efficiently convert this forage into milk, become pregnant within a defined breeding season, and have a high health status. This technical note, produced as part of the SOLID project, presents the challenges and considerations for farmers in selecting animals for low-input and organic dairying systems, and some of the conclusions reached within the project. It looks at the performance of breeds commonly used in dairy farming in Austria, Northern Ireland and Finland, focusing on breeds/genotypes perceived as being ‘better adapted’ to organic and low-input systems. The pros and cons of key strategies to improving breeding are discussed, including crossbreeding, setting a clear set of breeding objectives, and basing decisions on genetic indices.
A Vision and high-level Strategy for UK Animal and Plant Health Research To 2020 and Beyond
Working within the spirit of a new science partnership, this UK level Animal and Plant Health Strategy sets out a shared science vision and framework to deliver improved science capabilities. Cutting-edge technologies, including the proposal for a UK Animal and Plant Health Internet of Things, have the potential to transform the way we understand, detect and respond to risks to animal and plant health.
NADIS animal health skills website
NADIS (The National Animal Disease Information Service) was formed by livestock vets in 1995 to promote animal health and welfare through improved disease prevention delivered by active veterinary health planning. We are a team of vets across the UK working closely with vets in practice and RAMAs in industry to help them achieve this with farmers.NADIS has developed a unique online veterinary based animal health knowledge transfer resource for farmers, vets and RAMAs. The information is written or presented by leading veterinary authorities and peer reviewed.
Integrated pest management (IPM) – AHDB webpages
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a coordinated and planned strategy for the prevention, detection and control of pests, weeds, and diseases.
The continuing loss of plant protection products and rising levels of resistance means that the conventional crop protection toolbox is shrinking. At the same time, many policy drivers emphasise a need for reduced reliance on pesticides.
They aim to establish IPM practice as the ‘new normal’, and to that end, we are adopting a prevent, detect, control mantra.
With a focus on cereal and oilseed crops, IPM hub features information on pest management strategies, providing easy access to the latest research results and resources.
Integrated Pest Management and the VI IPM Plans
As part of the Sustainable Use Directive, the UK government is required to show that UK growers are using integrated pest management practices. The NFU has developed the Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP) for the VI.
