SSafeMILK | OZOLEA

Prevention and control in livestock productions mean more food safety, more food security and good health

Marketing 21 May 2021 News

Zoonoses poses risks for both human and animal health. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) further increases these risks; for this reason, a coordinated approach is necessary. Unfortunately, food-borne diseases pose a higher risk in developing countries.

As we already discussed, for a global action against AMR, no one must be left behind¹. Yet, the fact that developing countries still have no suitable infrastructure, economic and social support for rural and livestock development makes things worse.

Household hygiene conditions are a challenge for poor populations². Moreover, their access to clean water and sanitation facilities is compromised. These critical issues create the best environment for microorganisms to proliferate and spread. Therefore, AMR and zoonotic diseases are not problems related solely to the way animal are farmed.

The challenge is bigger than we think.

The livestock sector is facing requests to continue ensuring food safety and security, while reducing environmental impacts.

Pressures for improved animal welfare is further arising, and our sector still has difficulties in raising consumers’ awareness about how we have actually improved.

The dairy sector is conscious of all these aspects, and countries are taking steps towards solutions to tackle the development of new zoonoses and to reverse the pattern of AMR³. And, of course, to improve animal welfare.

At global livestock level, what could we do? Prevention is the best way to tackle AMR. Relying on the intensive use of antimicrobials is no longer possible, since this is the primary cause of AMR.

The way is rational, prudent and only when strictly necessary use of antimicrobials. The market for inputs for the livestock sector is working to provide alternative solutions. OZOLEA is proudly one of them.

However, it is worth stressing that the fight against AMR involves also human medicine. On this ground, humans, too, when treating diseases, should be sure that antibiotics are necessary and the preventive use of such products is not the correct way to act. Sadly, scientific literature is showing how Covid-9 may worsen the development of AMR.

For human health and well-being, the livestock sector is vital for providing nutritious and healthy foods.

Meat and meat products, dairy products, eggs and other foods of animal origin are a valuable source of high-biological-value proteins, fat and other functional compounds, including vitamins and minerals. All these nutrients have, in different ways, roles in ensuring humans’ balanced growth at cognitive and physical level.

A healthy and balanced diet is undeniably essential to human lives.

In this context, proper management in livestock production becomes essential to continue ensuring food security for a growing population. Attention to biosecurity, prevention, control and use of right tools to fight AMR can guarantee food safety from primary production.

However, considering how human health, animal health, nutrition and environment are strictly interconnected, the problem of AMR cannot be ascribed only to livestock farming. For these reasons, a One-Health⁴ approach is the way to consider and face this big challenge.

OZOLEA’s SSafeMILK project was developed for an action against AMR. By applying tools and protocols designed by OZOLEA, which are sustainable, effective and affordable for any farmer, the SSafeMILK project is intended to tackle the global emergency of AMR and aggressively reduce the use of antibiotics in farming animals.

¹ AMR: for a global action, no one must be left behind

https://www.ozolea.it/amr-for-a-global-action-no-one-must-be-left-behind/

² Transforming the livestock sector through the Sustainable Development Goals

http://www.fao.org/3/CA1201EN/ca1201en.pdf

³ Reg. (EU) 2019/6 on veterinary medicines applicable from 28 January 2022: are we ready?https://www.ozolea.it/reg-eu-20196-on-veterinary-medicines-applicable-from-28-january-2022-are-we-ready/

⁴The One Health approach against antimicrobial resistance

https://www.ozolea.it/the-one-health-approach-against-antimicrobial-resistance/

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AMR: for a global action, no one must be left behind

Marketing 7 May 2021 News

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has already crossed borders and has an international dimension.

It is a big issue concerning human and animal health, the environment and food safety. Thus, it involves livestock husbandry without exceptions.

To tackle AMR the team must be global for a coordinated and effective action. Unfortunately, inequalities among countries are substantial, making acting globally difficult.

Protecting the efficacy of antimicrobials and other products needed to treat infections in humans involves the implementation of good practices intended for prevention and control. This should happen in livestock husbandry all over the world.

Where the farmer’s income, the access to services, infrastructures, knowledge and innovation, the availability of skilled workers and professionals, tailored policies and the fabric of society allow certain opportunities, disease management and prudent use of antibiotics are facilitated.

People living in poverty are generally more susceptible to infections and at higher risk of disease caused by resistant bacteria. As a matter of fact, these people do not have economic means for more expensive medications. Thus, self-medication with antibiotics is quite common in regions with under developed infrastructures.

Same issue occurs in livestock husbandry: deliberately treating animals by using antibiotics imprudently exacerbates these risks.

There is a growing world population estimated to reach 9.7 billion people in 2050¹. Along with it, there will be an increasing demand for safe and abundant food. AMR is a threat for food safety and human health, since foods of animal origin are vehicles for bacteria to spread among species.

We cannot afford to put food safety, food security, human and animal health, and the environment at risk.

What could the livestock sector in developed countries do for developing regions? Crossing borders, both physically and mentally, will benefit developed countries in the first place.

Livestock husbandry is a sector that needs a reduction of inequalities, aiming at putting countries in equitable economic, cultural, social and structural conditions.

It is a matter of boosting the livestock sector globally. Specifically, it calls for: supporting policies and investments specific to livestock husbandry; improving infrastructures; implementing inclusive rural development policies; facilitating access to services; framing proper social protection programmes; disseminating knowledge about strategies that have been already tailored and implemented against AMR in developed countries.

OZOLEA’s SSafeMILK project intends to be part of this combination of actions by making the OZOLEA approach to AMR available to all developing countries.

“Resistant bacteria do not need a passport to cross borders” (Rome, 2019, OZOLEA institutional meetings at the Pakistan Embassy), and nor should we to protect human and animal health.

¹What do dairy farmers do for the place they live and work in, while the population is growing? OZOLEA discussed this topic some weeks ago.

https://www.ozolea.it/what-dairy-farmers-do-for-the-place-they-live-and-work-in/

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We need cohesion and to share results to make consumers understand the importance of paying the fair price for milk

Marketing 23 April 2021 News

The production of milk is estimated at around 155 million tons per year in the EU dairy sector. The main producers are Germany, France, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain, accounting for 70% of the EU production.

A substantial and pervasive sector, highly heterogeneous as well. Undoubtedly, a fundamental role in milk production is carried out by medium-large specialized dairy farms, which are more than half of the dairy farms in the EU. Their share of milk production ranges from 24% (Czech Republic) to 99.9% (some Spanish and Portuguese regions) of the EU total production.

A sector that has experienced a profound revolution over the last few decades, proving the ability to improve efficiency by reducing the number of animals and increasing quantities of milk produced.

Specialized dairy farms have an advantageous production potential that allows high levels of productivity. On the contrary, the remaining part of small and medium-sized farms shows financial indicators (such as financial assistance and debt sustainability, efficiency, profitability) that are insufficient to allow satisfactory levels of income suitable for further investments (Poczta et al., 2020).

Regardless of the type, dairy farms in every EU Member state share the same challenges (European Parliament, 2018). Milk price volatility is undoubtedly the main problem, accompanied by an objective difficulty in predicting both the price and milk volumes to be produced and placed on the market.

Specialization offers advantages, but it binds producers to a single output – milk. In cases of sudden market shocks, this can be a disadvantage compared to those dairy farms that differentiate. Even small companies are affected by market shocks, not being able to rely on adequate financial support to buffer potential shocks.

Introducing young dairy farmers remains critical (only 11% of producers are under 40): there are also difficulties in attracting new generations to dairy farms.

In addition to this, dairy needs to cope with pressures due to climate change, which impacts the production of animal feed. The 2018 fodder crisis, very hard for Northern Europe countries, is a clear sign. Moreover, the strong demand for soy pushes the price on the market to figures that are hardly to be faced by dairy farmers.

Even occupying a weaker position in the bargaining process is a challenge. The value of the supply chain is more concentrated in transformation and retail, and not equally distributed along the supply chain. Similarly, fluctuations in the market are largely transmitted to milk producers.

Undoubtedly, the tendency to produce more and more milk to meet these difficulties, by enlarging dairy herds, cannot be the solution to dairy farmers’ problems, and there is a reason why.

The milk market is quite peculiar. Milk, a highly perishable raw material, is the traded product, and it needs to be managed in a very short time. Processors are sometimes called to manage surplus quantities of milk, which, however, are unlikely to find a place due to market demand. All this must be coordinated with fast logistics and taking into account the influence of other variables on the market. So, basically, it’s a matter of efficiency.

Milk and dairy products, even if matured, have their shelf-life. Therefore, it is difficult to draw comparisons with markets for other food products, such as wine, which also follows completely different consumption trends with respect to dairy products. Not to mention its history: a terrific recovery since 1986, when methanol claimed victims and severely put the wine industry in crisis in Northern Italy.

The concept of the supply chain is not simple. It is used in a “neutral” way to describe production processes. In general, it is a concept that can be ascribed to “an economic circuit, characterized by an ordered succession of production cycles for the realization of a good” (Scarano, 1989).

In order for the economic circuit to work, relationships within the supply chain and the dialogue between operators deserve more attention. Given the common problems, how advantageous can operating independently still be?

One option could be to seek all possible synergies for building a relationship and a medium and long-term policy, in which the objectives and results are equally shared throughout the supply chain. the result would be a greater profit margin for all operators in the supply chain.

Unfortunately, the dairy industry’s attempts to defend itself from public opinion still remain within the sector: cohesion is needed to get them out the supply chain and convey them to the consumer, so that they come to understand the importance of paying the right value for milk.

Furthermore, for a more proficuous future for the entire dairy supply chain, the value recognized by the consumer must be distributed equally throughout the supply chain. And this means having an even stronger dairy supply chain.

OZOLEA’s SSafeMILK project was created to be a sustainability project, from any point of view. Among the goals, it aims to promote an approach that is going to be profitable for everyone and only if every actor in the milk chain is ready to properly converge on and share objectives, responsibilities and profits.

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What dairy farmers do for the place they live and work in

Marketing 9 April 2021 News

Being dairy farmers requires multi-disciplinary skills, and sometimes we would need to be relieved a little from some issues and responsibilities. However, our presence in specific areas of the world is fundamental both from an economic and social perspective.

In general, the backbone of the economy in rural areas is agriculture. The communities, the infrastructure, the employment and people living there are mainly concentrated on agriculture and food production, contributing to make rural villages and towns a worthy place to live.

Dairy production is a consolidated asset in rural areas since it supports livelihoods by providing regular source of products of animal origin that can be both food for local people and a market opportunity.

In particular, dairy farmers are the stewards of land and soil. Last week, we made the point on the impact of a good herd and farm management on land and soil (read “The circular nature of dairy farming”). This is worthwhile in particular for marginal rural areas, where dairy farming contributes to the reduction of the risk of hydrogeological instability.

Occupying marginal areas and continuing some of the traditions of dairy production help the society reduce the continuous depopulation of these regions, bringing back work and employment, while reducing gender inequalities.

Furthermore, it is important for many farms to be family-owned. Family farms help make the countryside a more inclusive place to live and encourage young men and women to get involved in rural activities, bringing innovation, development and strengthening the socio-economic network.

In the European Union, the depopulation of rural areas is an extremely important phenomenon: agriculture today is different from the one of decades ago. In the past, small farms were widely spread across the territory. With urbanization, rural realities have drastically reduced, but at the same time they have experienced a notable technological and productive evolution. This evolution is a step towards future demographic development.

Estimates show a global population growth of up to almost 9.7 billion by 2050. 70% of the population will be concentrated in urban areas and 30% in rural areas. This percentage will have to deal with agricultural production, and will have to do it with increasing efficiency.

Dairy farming can be both intensive and extensive, and both of them have their role in the social development. Intensive farming should not be seen negatively.

Intensive milk production is an approach designed to maximize outputs with reduced use of resources. Innovation has made it possible to improve animal welfare and health level, as well as the protection of the environment. Focusing on efficiency and sustainability, it is possible to understand the positive sides of intensive production.

Only the European Union milk production is estimated around 155 million tons per year. Germany, France, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain are the main producers – almost 70% of the EU production. Thus, it is a substantial, pervasive and heterogeneous economic sector.

The EU dairy herd (around 21 million cows in 2018) has been decreasing recently along with an increase of the milk yield per cow (7000 kg in 2018). This is a clear sign of efficiency.

In addition to its importance for land management, employment and food production, dairy farming is a hub of innovation, involving different fields of research – from life sciences to engineering. In particular, intensive production systematically allows a resource and technology transfer even where there are no adequate economic and structural possibilities, concretely supporting sustainable innovation in developing countries.

Now that we are facing new challenges – from the environmental issue to the price issue, we should be able to protect our role as guardians of the environment and in feeding the world.

These roles require the ability of creating, sharing and implementing our knowledge and new technologies, but also new ways to organize the supply chain and cooperate.

The final goal of cooperation must be economic, environmental and social sustainability. And this is also the objective of OZOLEA’s SSafeMILK project.

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A more valuable manure for better crop productivity

Marketing 12 March 2021 News

This brief post is meant to be the second one of a discussion series about sustainability without mentioning this word. Our main goal is to be highly efficient and good managers on our dairy farms, before making major investments.

Last time, we had a story to tell about good manure quality. We saw how feeding calves with milk rejected from the tank due to withdrawal periods is not a good option both for calves’ health and chemical and microbiological characteristics of soils when spreading.

What about crop productivity? A proper waste management and a good quality manure can help us give the right boost to our crops.

As dairy farmers, we rely on homegrown crop production. This is a great opportunity to dispose of the waste produced by our dairy cows using it as a fertilizer to meet nutritional demand of crops. Also, it is a good opportunity for the economic optimization of our own entire dairy system.

A recent meta-analysis¹ assessed more than fifty scientific studies to compare the use of dairy manure with synthetic fertilizer.

This meta-analysis showed that, when applied at rates providing equivalent levels of plant-available nitrogen content, the effects of dairy manure on crop production, quality, and digestibility were positively equal to those achieved with synthetic fertilizer.

In particular, manure application increased soil organic matter, with a suggested overall positive impact on long term-fertility. The meta-analysis reported a high variability across the studies for soil nitrate leaching and nitrous emissions, concluding that no clear trends were evident.

An increase in soil phosphorous with a potential threat to water quality may be a risk related to dairy manure application.

The good thing is that, if applied with care to limit above impacts, dairy manure is a suitable fertilizer. It is worth noting that these impacts can vary with site-specific factors (climate, soil type, and application procedures).

Now, let’s go back to the antibiotic issue. A proper management of antibiotics in dairy cows is important for our crops, as well. Dairy manure can introduce chemicals (antibiotics) and pathogens (yes, including resistant strains from calves). How do antibiotics impact the soil, in short?

Depending on a number of different factors (physical and chemical properties of the substance, climatic factors, characteristics of the soil) persistence of antibiotic residues in the soil is determined mainly by sorption to organic particles and degradation/transformation.

The effects on soil microorganisms are the change in their enzyme activity and ability to metabolize different carbon sources and an alteration of the microbial biomass and heterogeneity of microbial communities.

Soil biodiversity plays an important role in ecological processes, and this is true especially for microorganisms, most importantly for their positive role in the maintenance of soil and water quality.

Thus, we owe our crops and our fields a good waste management and rational antibiotic use – it is beneficial for us first! Now, let’s go over good manure spreading:

never forget about local and national relevant rules on manure application to soil;
know the nature and characteristic of the soil – it helps avoid water pollution;
be sure to maintain non-spread zone near vulnerable areas – water sources, settlements, etc.;
highly fertile soils do not need high quantity of fertilizer;
consider proper weather and soil conditions for the application;
pay attention to timing and level of application on heavy or impermeable soils, areas subject to flooding and sloped grounds.

¹ Peter L. O’Brien and Jerry L. Hatfield. Dairy Manure and Synthetic Fertilizer: A Meta-Analysis of Crop Production and Environmental Quality. Agrosyst. Geosci. Environ. 2:190027 (2019) doi: 10.2134/age2019.04.0027

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OZOLEA choses sustainability, in alignment with 13 out of the 17 United Nations’ SDGs for the future of dairy

Marketing 24 August 2020 News

In 2015, 193 countries adopted a new agenda, which includes 17 goals for sustainable development. Actions and policies have to be taken not just by governments, but also businesses, civil society and ordinary people to allow the achievement of these goals by 2030. This challenge involves every one of us, and it should be noted that no action is too small to make a difference for a better future. This is the ambitious project of the United Nations, for all people and the planet. What does sustainable development mean? It is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Efforts have to be made towards building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and the planet. The United Nations highlight that to achieve this sustainable development three core elements need to be harmonized: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection, all essential for our well-being.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) address the global challenges the planet is currently facing. These 17 SDGs are all interlinked, and, aiming at leaving no one behind, it is important that they are all achieved by 2030. The SDGs are. 1: No Poverty; 2. Zero Hunger; 3. Good Health and Well-being; 4. Quality Education; 5. Gender Equality; 6. Clean Water and Sanitation; 7. Affordable and Clean Energy; 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth; 9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; 9. Reducing Inequality; 10. Sustainable Cities and Communities; 11. Responsible Consumption and Production; 12. Climate Action; 13. Life Below Water; 14. 15. Life On Land; 16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; 17. Partnerships for the Goals.

An important aspect that OZOLEA supports with great sensitivity is the impact of the sustainable development, as addressed by SDGs, in tackling climate change. Climate change is already having effects on public health, food and water security, migration, as well as peace and security. If we leave climate change unchecked, it will thwart the improvements we have made until now, making further improvements impossible.

The SSafeMILK project, meaning Towards a Safe, Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Milk Supply Chain, is the manifesto of OZOLEA’s innate sustainable approach and is also its operating arm. The primary sector plays a key role in the world economy, due to deeply transversal aspects including social problems, food safety and security, as well as the environmental balance of the impact caused by humans on earth. Aware of how fundamental agriculture is for future generations but also for sustainable development, OZOLEA configured the SSafeMILK project, based on OZOLEA products and protocols, giving it the right sustainable footprint from a social, environmental, economic, production and food safety point of view. This is why this global standard for the dairy supply chain is perfectly aligned with 13 of the 17 SDGs.

The dairy sector has a new safe, sustainable and ecological farming model, ready to be adopted by dairy farms, dairy associations, dairy industries, retailers, and above all ready to be shared and communicated to consumers.

To find out more about how SSafeMILK meets the SDGs and which are these 13 SDGS mentioned above, visit our website www.ssafemilk.com.