The overall aim of the present study was to analyse and compare organic beef cattle farming in Spain with intensive and conventional systems. An on-farm study comparing farm management practices and animal health was carried out. The study also focussed on a slaughterhouse analysis by comparing impacts on the safety and quality of the cattle products. Twenty-four organic and 26 conventional farms were inspected, and farmers responded to a questionnaire that covered all basic data on their husbandry practices, farm management, veterinary treatments and reproductive performance during 2007. Furthermore, data on the hygiene and quality of 244, 2596 and 3021 carcasses of calves from organic, intensive and conventional farms, respectively, were retrieved from the official yearbook (2007) of a slaughterhouse. Differences found between organic and conventional farms across the farm analysis did not substantially reflect differences between both farm types in the predominant diseases that usually occur on beef cattle farms. However, calves reared organically presented fewer condemnations at slaughter compared with intensive and to a lesser extent with conventionally reared calves. Carcass performance also reflected differences between farm type and breed and was not necessarily better in organic farms.

The number of cattle operations which manage their livestock as certified organic or as natural is constantly increasing. Common conditions that practitioners often see have bacterial, viral or parasite etiologies. With restrictions on treatments allowed, either by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Certified Organic program or by other niche programs, it would help practitioners to know what is allowable to use and how to approach cases in these settings. This presentation aims to provide veterinarians with an awareness of animal health care when working with organic/natural producers and alternative therapies that are understandable to medically trained professionals.