AN INTEGRADED ITALIAN RESEARCH PROJECT ON ORGANIC ANIMAL HUSBANDRY.

In 2005, huge project of integrated research on organic animal husbandry was initiated in Italy. This research combines, for the first time in Italy, various disciplines in order to affront existing problems in the animal organic sector. The research will be conducted on 19 farms, located across Southern, Central and Northern Italy, in order to fully represent the climatic environments of the Italian peninsula. The topics investigated range from a complete substitution of soy in animal feed to avoid GMOs, to the reduction of micotoxin contamination risks, to pasture improvement and to the use of animal breeds more adapted to organic production. The project duration will be 3 years, and is expected to provide Italian organic farm breeders the long-awaited answers to various questions.