SOAR is a research school. In addition to the focus on PhD students, SOAR also includes graduates, postdocs and supervisors in the activities and networks. This is important because they also constitute the research environment, in which the PhD student is under education. SOAR wants to contribute to the professional discussions with a special focus on the organic food and farming systems.
The research interests of SOAR cover a wide range of subjects within organic agriculture and food systems:
to investigate the use and usefulness of animal health and welfare plans as a tool for organic dairy farmers to promote animal health and welfare in their herd.
to investigate health strategies on organic farms with little or no use of medicine.
to assess the importance of access to pasture during the grazing season on cow health and welfare.
Background
The health of dairy cows on organic farms is important to both the farmer and the consumer. Health plans are currently obligatory for organic dairy farmers in England. These health plans provide customer assurance for product status but, because of their large size and layout, do not benefit the farmer with herd health planning and may, therefore, constitute an under-utilisation of a useful resource. The key to successful implementation of a herd health strategy is enabling the farmer to take ownership of the process and so the content and design of a herd health plan should be carefully considered if it is to form the basis of a farmer’s health planning strategy.
Some organic dairy farmers are able to maintain herd health with minimal recourse to conventional medicines, in particular, antibiotics. Identifying herd health strategies on such farms may provide guidance and planning strategies for other farms with a poorer herd health status.
In Denmark, organic cows must be allowed to graze for at least 150 days each year at a minimum of six hours each day. This is considered to be an important component of allowing cows to express natural behaviour, where possible. Identifying any affects of access to pasture on the health status and behaviour of cows and assessing the importance of ease of access to resources (such as water and shade) could provide an insight into the most suitable approach to herd health planning for the summer months.
