Sustainability of organic grassland-based dairy production in Tyrol, Austria
Name of sustainable practice or practices Sustainability of organic grassland-based dairy production in Tyrol, Austria
Name of main actor Organic Alpine dairy farmers, the Cooperative Organic Dairy Hatzenstädt
Type of actors involved Family farmers, Research institutions
Livestock Species Cattle
Livestock breed Brown Swiss, Simmental, Jersey, and Pinzgauer cattle
Country Austria
Agro-ecological region Mountain
Main feature of best practice Improving environmental sustainability including biodiversity conservation, Furthering grain-free strategies in animal feed
Key features of livestock farming system Organic livestock farming
Year practice/management strategies started to be implemented 1960
Key practices implemented to improve sustainability of livestock management • In the Alpine regions of Austria, organic farming has traditionally been very important.
• Since farms do not cultivate arable land, all forages come from permanent grassland, which is either cut and conserved exclusively as hay or used for pasture. The main source of income on all farms comes from dairy production, but farms supplement their income with forestry, direct marketing of meat, tourism and other off-farm incomes.
• Farms in this region are generally managed extensively, with trees and hedges making up an integral part of the landscape. Grasslands are usually cut only twice (some fields are cut three times), no mineral fertilizers are applied and hedges are well maintained, contributing to high levels of agricultural biodiversity.
• The selected farms do not use fertilizers because of the strict legal constraints on organic farming. Moreover, none of the farms practice pronounced soil management, since there is low risk of soil erosion and nutrient leaching due to the low stocking rate and the exclusive use of all land as grasslands. Due to local climatic conditions, with high rainfall, there is no need for farmers to irrigate.
Key impacts of the best practices on sustainability of farming system • This form of traditional, small-scale, low-input, low-intensity (with low stocking rates and only using fresh forage and hay for feeding) dairy farming system maintains a high level of biodiversity. It is highly valued by society in general and particularly by a segment of consumers that are willing to pay price premiums for quality organic products.
• The management of Dairy Hatzenstädt has been successful in communicating the message of environmental integrity to retailers and consumers. As a grassland-based system, using minimal concentrates, their farms do not exacerbate the competition for crops from arable land between animal feed and human food utilization.
• The selected farms were reported to have relatively high farm business resilience, mainly based on the diversity of their sources of income. They all have several ways to generate extra income, such as forestry or tourism.
• Animal health and welfare were also highly rated because of relatively long grazing periods and low veterinary expenses. During the winter, about 50 percent of all cows are kept in tie stalls but with access to an outdoor run at least twice a week.
Constraints and opportunities observed during implementation of described practices • Many farmers may not be aware of the level of biodiversity on their farms because farmers do not receive subsidies from the Austrian Agri-environmental Program (ÖPUL) for the maintenance of these elements.
• One major challenge for a small dairy like Hatzenstädt is harmonizing milk production and demand for dairy products on the market. In the past, there was often a shortage of milk in autumn and a surplus in spring.
• There has been an increasing awareness of the high levels of biodiversity and the important role it plays in enhancing the sustainability of low-input dairy production systems. Farmers are becoming more aware of available landscape elements and hedges and their contribution to a well-structured and diverse landscape. Farmers have been encouraged to consider the effects of intensification on farm biodiversity. There is scope to improve feeding management, but major changes could threaten the functionality and sustainability of the farming system.
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