Engaging farmers inNatural Livestock Farming 5-layered Strategy

for improved cattle health, milk quality and biodiversity

Natural Livestock Farming

Katrien van’t Hooft, Getachew Gebru and Elizabeth Katushabe

GASL-MSP meeting, Side Event, Kansas State University, USA

10 Sept2019

What is Natural Livestock Farming?

Objective: Improved health of cattle, soils and environment

Focus: Disease prevention rather than cure

Goals: Reduced use of antibiotics and other chemicals, residue-free products, good income for farmers, improved biodiversity

If no action:

Antibiotics will no longer be effective for humans and

animals alike+

Dairy markets can collapse in countries with insufficient control of residues in milk

(antibiotics, acaricides, aflatoxines, dewormers, hydrogen peroxide etc)

Natural Livestock Farming 5-layer strategyto reduce the use of antibiotics and other chemicals

in dairy farming

International Foundation for Natural Livestock Farming (NLF)

Internationale collaborationNetherlands, India, Ethiopia and Uganda

Combining knowledgefrom different backgrounds

- Practical innovations, - Farmer-veterinarianinteraction- Scientific backup

Participating organisations

Netherlands:

India:

Ethiopia: Uganda:

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NLF Uganda

NLF pilots & collaboration:

- Netherlands: reduction antibiotics and dewormers- Ethiopia: reduction antibiotics- India: reduction antibiotics - Uganda: reduction acaricides

+ international knowledge sharing community

Challenges and NLF experiencesIndia, Uganda

Challenges dairy India• High disease incidence • High antibiotic use • continued crossbreeding HF semen combined with

deficient management

Mastitis and calf diarhea

Challenges dairy India

+ lack of residue control

Over the counter sales of antibiotics & other chemicals

NLF India curative use of herbs and medicinal plants

Trans-Disciplinary Institute (TDU) + Tamil Nadu Veterinary Science University (TANUVAS)

Documentation and validation: 353 veterinary herbal remedies acknowledged as safe and eficacious

NLF India - activities

1. Nation wide training of vets and farmers on herbal medicine for common cattle diseases (with NDDB)

2. Making films on herbal treatments3. Analysing results in terms of reduced antibiotic use4. Contribution to other countries: herbal training

India: Reduction of antibiotic residue in the milk -µg/ml before-after EVP training on using herbal remedies

(results of 200 farmers, 2013-2014)

Challenges Uganda:

• High use of acaricides fortick control

• High use of antibioticsdue to East Coast Fever

• Ticks have becomeresistant againstacaricides

Biodiversity loss: bees, butterflies, tick eating birdsNo control of chemical residues in milk

Influence of continued crossbreeding Ankole Longhorn with Holstein Friesian

1. Focus on herbal alternatives for tick control2. Training by Indian NLF partners 3. Piloting herbal remedy + application methods

NLF Uganda

Establish herbal gardensRecover local Ankole Longhorn cattle breedFuture: marketing of Ankole Longhorn organic produce

NLF experiences Ethiopia, Netherlands

NLF EthiopiaImprove quantity and quality of milk in terms of antibiotic residues

1. Enhance the laboratory capacity

2. Improve cattle health in peri-urban dairy farms, through implementation of the NLF 5-layered methodology

3. Establish outcomes in lab through milk quality control

• Community training on herbal medicine on common cattle diseases, including mastitis

• Set up herbal gardens

• Cattle housing and feeding improvements

Activities include:

1. Promoting herbs in grassland and cattle feeds2. Training of farmers and vets on safe use of herbs

and herbal products3. Pilots on natural control of worms and ticks

NLF Netherlands With support of local government and national farmer organization LTO

1. Dutch Farm Experience: Sharing lessons learnt in dairy farming

2. Laboratory training on residue analysis and milk quality control (Wageningen Food Safety and Research)

NLF Netherlands – contribution international

1. Expand pilots with NLF strategy on critical animal health issues

2. Documentation of outcomes3. International exchange and training programs 4. Expand network to other countries

Long-term vision: set up international NLF Academy

Future activities NLF international network

www.naturallivestockfarming.com

Thank you!