Tackling the future challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry - vTI

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! Agriculture and Forestry Research, Special Issue No 362 (Braunschweig, 2012) ISSN 0376-0723 Download: www.vti.bund.de/en/startseite/vti-publications/landbauforschung-special-issues.html Te Rongoā Traditional healing, or Rongoā, utilises the properties of many plants but, unlike “western” medicine as practiced by many today, rongoā is holistic, and focuses on maintaining health rather than attempting a cure after health has broken down. Several authors have developed models to conceptualise and illustrate the all-encompassing nature of Rongoā Māori. All emphasise the interconnectedness of mind, body, spirit, and human connections, particularly family and genealogy - the sense of knowing one’s roots (Durie, 2001; Mark & Lyons, 2010; Pere, 1995). Land plays an important role in each model: tangata whenua, where one belongs. It is not only land that is important in rongoā but the health of the land to which a person relates. Mark and Lyons (2010) quote from healers who “discussed land as a reason clients required healing, but commented that the land itself also sometimes needed healing (not necessarily separately from the client's healing)”. Māori identity is closely linked to the land believing we all share a common ancestor with the trees and the plants (McGowan, 2009). Applying the principles of rongoā to the land and stock therefore flows on to the people who walk the land and consume the produce. As rongoā promotes health of the land and those who work on it, the concept sits comfortably with organic farming. Te Rongoā and Organic farming The maintenance of animal health is often a major barrier to those farmers wishing to convert to an organic system. Adapting the principles of Te Rongoā to stock health is a novel way to tackle the problem of supporting animal health, while also addressing environmental concerns and contributing to the maintenance of biodiversity. The concept is very feasible - there is an increasing body of literature that surrounds zoopharmacognosy, or the ability of animals to self-medicate if given the opportunity (Clayton & Wolfe, 1993; M. Huffman & Seifu, 1989; M. A. M. A. Huffman, 2003). The literature surrounding the effectiveness of traditional plant remedies and the ability of famed animals to treat themselves is also growing, for example in Africa (Githiori, Hoglund, Waller, & Baker, 2004) South America (Lans & Brown, 1998) India (Sharma & Singh, 1989) and Europe (Pieroni, Howard, Volpato, & Santoro, 2004) and the United States (Villalba, Provenza, & Shaw, 2006). As Te Rongoā is holistic and envisages health deriving from a balanced state, it aligns well with the four principles of organic agriculture as defined by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements(IFOAM, 2009).The principle of health states that, “the health of individuals and communities cannot be separated from the health of ecosystems”. The principle also states, “health is not the absence of illness”. Rongoā supports health rather than intervention and emphasises the interconnectedness of mental, physical and spiritual balance. The principle of ecology states, “that production is to be based on ecological processes…should fit cycles and ecological balances in nature…adapted to local conditions, ecology, culture and scale”. Rongoā emphasises the importance of local plants and communities providing local solutions as well as the connectedness of all things living. The principle of fairness is addressed directly by Rongoā, in that health is based upon a person feeling well in mind, body and soul, not feeling a victim of injustice or living in poor conditions. By applying Rongoā to the farm and creating on-farm pharmacies using a range of species, not only do stock have the opportunity to self-medicate but they have shade and shelter and the opportunity to live a more natural life. The principle of care speaks directly to the Māori concept of Kaitiakitanga or guardianship. Many rules surround the harvesting of rongoā species so that they are conserved and resources are used wisely. As this principle states: “precaution and responsibility are key concerns…scientific knowledge alone is not sufficient. Practical experience, accumulated wisdom and traditional and indigenous knowledge offer valid solutions.” Te Putahi Te Putahi farm is located in the Southern Bays of Banks Peninsula in the South Island of New Zealand. The 450ha sheep and beef farm was gifted, on the death of Jim Wright, to the Wairewa rūnanga (tribal council) in 2006. Jim loved the land deeply and applauded the Wairewa ‘ki uta ki 442
RAHMANN G & GODINHO D (Ed.) (2012): Tackling the Future Challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry. Proceedings of the 2 nd OAHC, Hamburg/Trenthorst, Germany, Sep 12-14, 2012 tai' philosophy: we need to manage our resources “from the mountains to the sea”. Te Putahi has not had any pesticides or fertilisers applied for 20 years and should be certified organic by 2015. The farm carries 800 mixed breed ewes and 300 hoggets, 60 Angus cows and 30 heifers. Four hundred lambs are being carried through to weight, as are 56 calves. There is little fencing and stock range widely. It is the first farm to be accredited under the Ngāi Tahu Mahinga kai system (www.ahikakai.co.nz). The Ngai Tahu accreditation system allows customers to buy traceable produce, often with a story behind the product, from certified producers. Lamb can be purchased from Te Putahi that has been grazed on largely unimproved pasture with access to native species. Wairewa also market ‘tuna’ or eel, which has been caught and smoked in the traditional manner. The farm, to quote chairman of the Wairewa rūnanga Robin Wybrow, “is to be the living embodiment of the Wairewa Rūnanga’s expression of its integrated whole ecosystem - Mahinga Kai Cultural Park that protects the whenua (land), koiora kanorau (biodiversity), wai māori (freshwater) and wai moana (sea) of Papatūānuku (mother earth) ki uta ki tai (from the mountains to the sea)”. Applying the principles of Te Rongoā on Te Putahi It is basic tenet of rongoā that the plants are part of the landscape and their medicinal properties relate to the environment in which they are growing. Research into the chemistry of manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) across New Zealand bears this out (Maddocks-Jennings, Wilkinson, Shillington, & Cavanagh, 2005; Perry et al., 1997; Porter & Wilkins, 1998). In order to adhere to a principle of rongoā and to maintain a good conservation ethic, planning for plantings on Te Putahi was restricted to species that might have been found growing naturally on the Banks Peninsula. An informal survey of local vets and farmers identified parasites as being the major animal health problem faced by farmers. After problems with parasites, scour and general ill thrift evidenced by lower growth rates and / or reproductive rates, shaky lambs and pneumonia were of most concern. Animals that are offered a broad diet and are healthy are less likely to succumb to disease; therefore as a first step plants with tonic properties were identified. Species with a reputation as anthelminthics or used for diarrhea or chest complaints were then searched for. All plants selected must withstand browsing by stock and regenerate within a reasonable time frame. They should be non-toxic, although consideration might be given to some species with a reputation for toxicity if they are beneficial when lightly browsed and access can be controlled. A selection of species is given in Table 1 as an example of the range of species that could be used to create a living pharmacy on Te Putahi farm. Table 1. Examples of native species that could be used as part of an on-farm pharmacy at Te Putahi. Species Maori name Common name Ailment Myrsine australis Māpou, Māpau, Matipou, Tīpau Red Matipo Parasites Hebe stricta Koromiko Hebe Scour Gaultheria antipoda Pāpapa, Korupuka, Tāwiniwini, Tūmingi Snowberry Lactation Gnaphalium luteo-album Pukatea Cudweed Wounds Corynocarpus laevigatus Karaka New Zealand Laurel Wounds Macropiper excelsum Kawakawa Pepper Tree Tonic Pseudowintera colorata Horopito Pepper tree Tonic Sonchus sp. Puha, Pūwhā pūhā pororua, rauriki Sow thistle Tonic It is neither possible nor sensible to simply plant huge numbers of species. A multifaceted approach is required so that plantings address conservation and protection, the historical existence of species, and the aspirations of the community. Local people often wish to see, or have access to, particular plants and have a desire to encourage certain fauna. For example, on Te Putahi, Wairewa would like to attract kereru or New Zealand native pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae), tui (Prosthemadera 443
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Foreword Organic animal husbandry s
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Content RAHMANN G & GODINHO D (Ed.)
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Introduction RAHMANN G & GODINHO D
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Abstract RAHMANN G & GODINHO D (Ed.
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Factors Plant Height (cm) RAHMANN G
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