Exemplary Implementation and Evaluation of Management Tools to Increase Animal Health and Consumer Protection in Organic Pig Production (08OE186)

• Marktgesellschaft mbH of the Naturland farms
• Bioland Consulting GmbH
• Naturlandberatung

Federal Organic Farming Program (BÖLN)

01. 11. 2009 - 28.02. 2012

Results from previous studies on organic pig farms show a great variation between the farms concerning animal health status with partly considerable deficits in health management. Strategies for the improvement of the animal health status require a comprehensive analysis of the status quo and a continuous control along the process chain.
In a pilot project, relevant production processes at operational level should be assessed on 12 organic pig farms. In parallel a web-based data acquisition programme (Nutriweb®) should be adapted to the specific slaughterhouse, production and marketing conditions. With this system, data collected on slaughterhouse and on operational level (e.g. clinical findings on carcass, protocols of treatments) will be captured and evaluated centrally. Thus, all significantly involved stakeholders (advisor, veterinarian, operator of slaughterhouse and marketer) of the process chain can be included in the communication. Based on a shareable data base, they can pursue the processes and can react if required.
In addition, the areas of conflict as well as the options for action on the farms and on the up- and downstream domains will be assessed and visualized with the aid of a software-based sensitivity Model®. Potential weak points can be discussed and strategic measures for the attainment of concrete target-settings with respect to animal health parameters can be elaborated.
The use of the both management tools allows for a systemic analysis of the farm specifics and for an implementation of feedback mechanism. The efficacy and effectiveness of the tools and of the performed measures will be scientifically evaluated with the aim of transferring the results on several farms.