A Potential Analysis on Converting Conventional Dairy Farm in Muak Lek District, Saraburi Province to Organic Dairy Farm
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Abstract
This research was conducted to analyze a potential of transitioning conventional dairy farms in Muak Lek District, Saraburi Province to organic dairy farms. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data from 96 farmers by factors rating method on 8 organic dairy farming production requirements according to the Department of Livestock Development Organic Livestock Standard. Also, TOWS matrix model was used to analyze other additional supporting factors. Results showed that most farmers were male and completed primary school as their highest level of education. An average income of 522,395.8 baht per year was earned from dairy production. Crossbred Holstein Friesian was a preferred dairy cow breed with an average of 37.2 cows in one farm with a pastureland size of 13.1 rai. Cows were fed with roughages and concentrate feed, and their milk quality was consistently tested when milking. Factors rating method results showed that livestock sources, livestock health management, farm management, livestock housing and free-range feeding, and farm record keeping were factors indicating moderate to high potential for an organic farm transition. Other factors i.e., conversion to organic livestock production, feed, and waste management, were considered as very low or low potential factors which were in a need of improvement in order to converting to organic farms. In addition, the TOWS matrix model revealed that there was a high potential in a conversion of conventional dairy farm to organic dairy farm because farmers were highly experienced and skilled in farm management, privately possessed farmlands and pasture, and owned dairy cows whose breed was suitable for farming in Thailand. Every farm had sufficient financial capital for farm management. Most importantly, the government and the Department of Livestock Development had been supporting the organic production systems according to the 20-year strategic national plan.
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This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which allows others to share the article with proper attribution to the authors and prohibits commercial use or modification. For any other reuse or republication, permission from the journal and the authors is required.References
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