Evaluating mountain goat dairy systems for conversion to the organic model, using a multicriteria method

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Animal Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Organic farming offers environmental benefits, including resource conservation and biodiversity promotion.
• Assessing the transition of dairy goat systems to organic models requires robust evaluation methods.
• Existing regulations and agroecological principles guide organic livestock farming standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a farm-scale multicriteria method for evaluating the conversion of dairy goat systems to organic farming.
• To develop a comprehensive index, the Organic Livestock Proximity Index (OLPI), for quantifying this conversion.
• To analyze a case study in southern Spain to validate the proposed assessment method.

Main Methods:

• A consensus of expert opinions and a field survey were used to identify and validate assessment indicators.
• Fifty-six variables were integrated into nine key indicators: Nutritional management, Sustainable pasture management, Soil fertility and contamination, Weed and pest control, Disease prevention, Breeds and reproduction, Animal welfare, Food safety, and Marketing and management.
• The Organic Livestock Proximity Index (OLPI) was developed by integrating these nine indicators.

Main Results:

• The study applied the OLPI method to 24 dairy goat farms in southern Spain, yielding an average OLPI of 46.5%.
• Key areas identified for improvement in transitioning farms included soil management, animal nutrition, and product marketing.
• The developed method proved to be easily implementable and effective in quantifying the degree of approximation to the organic model.

Conclusions:

• The proposed multicriteria method and the Organic Livestock Proximity Index (OLPI) provide a valuable tool for assessing and guiding the conversion of dairy goat farms to organic systems.
• The case study highlights specific areas where conventional farms require focused improvements to align with organic and agroecological principles.
• The method's ease of implementation supports its widespread adoption for evaluating organic livestock farming practices.