Recherches en élevage biologique: Enjeux, acquis et développements

Abstract

Animal husbandry is a potentially important contributor to the objectives of organic food and farming (OF&F) development as announced in France. The model of mixed crop-livestock farming is at the basis of OF&F and has shown to be robust. Yet, today, various animal production systems are found and OF&F has to adapt to new requirements in terms of performance, owing to the changes in rules and regulations or the market situation. Four research topics were identified and developed: i) designing more autonomous and economically efficient livestock production systems in terms of input by combining experimentation and on-farm monitoring; ii) evaluating the health status of the herds and alternative therapeutic tools, conforming to the regulations in terms of health and animal welfare; iii) improving the mastering of nutritional, sensorial and health qualities of the animal products; iv) reinforcing the interactions between organic animal husbandry and environment by favouring the impacts on biodiversity and on green-house gas emissions as well as energy consumed and fertility transfers in or between production units. The methodological teachings of research projects are given in a final part, while distinguishing between performance assessment and contribution to OF&F development.