Research Summaries

This review pulls together the results of over 40 research projects and brings us up to date with the latest in thinking on dairy cow nutrition, incorporates the findings of a wide range of organic trials and draws some clear recommendations on appropriate strategies for forage type and management, supplementary feeding, ration formulation and farming systems. It raises important issues around sustainability versus optimum production and highlights future research priorities.

This review collates and summarises the organic research into trace elements and vitamins in organic ruminant livestock. It covers the role of trace elements and vitamins in animal health, their requirements (where known) and the extent and effect on health of known trace element and vitamin deficiencies. It also considers strategies for improving the level of trace elements available to ruminant livestock in forages as well as the role of supplements in various forms in treating established deficiencies.

The scope of the review is to consider recent sources of information relating to the feeding of organic laying hens, broilers and turkeys. In particular it reviews all the research commissioned by Defra together with other UK and European work and collates the results of that work in the light of commercial experience, providing advisers with a summary of the key recommendations.