David Farrell

USDA Guidelines for Organic certification of Dairy Livestock.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/Dairy%20-%20Guidelines.pdf

My research is focused evaluating changes in forage mineral content during the pasture growing season for test forage mixture combinations and the traditional pasture forages. This will be based on five different organic dairy farms. Here is a quick overview to organic farming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhOrIUlrnPo

Over the past number of weeks in preparation for my arrival in Tennessee, I have done research on Climate Change and the impacts it will have on dairy production systems – mainly organic. I focused my research on the areas of
1)- Impact of climate change on livestock – http://Chase, L. E. (2006). “Climate change impacts on dairy cattle.” Fact sheet, Climate Change and Agriculture: Promoting Practical and Profitable Responses. Online at http://climateandfarming. org/pdfs/FactSheets/III. 3Cattle. pdf.
2)- Organic Milk production – http://Greene, C. R. and A. Kremen (2003). US organic farming in 2000-2001: Adoption of certified systems.
3)- Minerals and their importance in lactating dairy cows – http://Corah, L. (1996). “Trace mineral requirements of grazing cattle.” Animal Feed Science and Technology 59(1-3): 61-70.
4)- Cool and Warm season grass/legume species – http://Hudson, D. J., et al. (2010). “Integrated warm-and cool-season grass and legume pastures: I. Seasonal forage dynamics.” Agronomy journal 102(1): 303-309.

Looking forward to beginning my research placement with the University Of Tennessee and as part of the MSc programme ! Keen to get a deeper insight into the impacts climate change is having on forage, soils and cattle production.