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Structural characteristics of organic dairy farms in four European countries and their association with the implementation of animal health plans

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  • Blanco-Penedo, Isabel
  • Sjöström, Karin
  • Jones, Philip
  • Krieger, Margret
  • Duval, Julie
  • van Soest, Felix
  • Sundrum, Albert
  • Emanuelson, Ulf

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to classify the diversity of organic dairy farms in four European countries according to their structural characteristics and investigate the association of these farm types with implementation of herd health plans. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), followed by Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC), was used to classify the farms. Data for the analysis came from a survey of 192 organic farms from France, Germany, Spain and Sweden and contained farm and farmer descriptions from which the typologies were derived. Herd health plans was agreed for each farm, via a participatory approach involving the farmers, their veterinarians and other advisors (e.g. dairy advisors) by the use of an impact matrix. The MCA yielded two principal component axes explaining 51.3% of variance. Three farm groups were identified by AHC using the factor scores derived from the MCA. Cluster 1, the most numerous group (56.7% of the sample), had medium herd sizes with moderate use of pasture and moderate intensity of input use. Cluster 2, representing 17.7% of the sample, were the most extensive system and mainly of very small farm size. Cluster 3 (25.5% of the sample and only found in Sweden), had an intensive management approach, but relatively low stocking rate. The analysis also showed that organic dairy farms adopted differentiated strategies towards economic assets and animal health status, according to group membership. The typology therefore provides insights into the potential for advisory strategies relating to husbandry practices, different housing, pasture management and intensity, etc. adapted to different groups of farms. Regarding herd health plan implementation, Cluster 1 was the group with most implemented actions and Cluster 2 with lowest rate of implemented actions. These results may be used as background for directing (tailored) advice strategies, i.e. different types of organic dairy farms (clusters) may require different types of advisory services and recommendations adapted to the specific farm situation in order to deliver future improvements in animal health.

Suggested Citation

  • Blanco-Penedo, Isabel & Sjöström, Karin & Jones, Philip & Krieger, Margret & Duval, Julie & van Soest, Felix & Sundrum, Albert & Emanuelson, Ulf, 2019. "Structural characteristics of organic dairy farms in four European countries and their association with the implementation of animal health plans," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 244-253.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agisys:v:173:y:2019:i:c:p:244-253
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2019.03.008
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kobrich, C. & Rehman, T. & Khan, M., 2003. "Typification of farming systems for constructing representative farm models: two illustrations of the application of multi-variate analyses in Chile and Pakistan," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 141-157, April.
    2. Riveiro, J.A. & Mantecón, A.R. & Álvarez, C.J. & Lavín, P., 2013. "A typological characterization of dairy Assaf breed sheep farms at NW of Spain based on structural factor," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 27-37.
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    1. Anna Mazurek-Kusiak & Bogusław Sawicki & Agata Kobyłka, 2021. "Contemporary Challenges to the Organic Farming: A Polish and Hungarian Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-14, July.
    2. Isabel Blanco-Penedo & Antonio Velarde & Richard P. Kipling & Alejandro Ruete, 2020. "Modeling heat stress under organic dairy farming conditions in warm temperate climates within the Mediterranean basin," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 1269-1285, October.
    3. Susanne Hoischen-Taubner & Jonas Habel & Verena Uhlig & Eva-Marie Schwabenbauer & Theresa Rumphorst & Lara Ebert & Detlev Möller & Albert Sundrum, 2021. "The Whole and the Parts—A New Perspective on Production Diseases and Economic Sustainability in Dairy Farming," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-20, August.
    4. Pépin, Antonin & Morel, Kevin & van der Werf, Hayo M.G., 2021. "Conventionalised vs. agroecological practices on organic vegetable farms: Investigating the influence of farm structure in a bifurcation perspective," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).

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