Survey about the use of allopathic treatments and sources of information for organic livestock farms in France

European Union law on organic production is the Regulation 􀀋􀀨􀀸􀀌􀀕􀀓􀀔􀀛􀀒􀀛􀀗􀀛􀀃􀁒􀁉􀀃􀀰􀁄􀁜􀀃􀀖􀀓􀁗􀁋􀀃􀀕􀀓􀀔􀀛􀀑􀀃􀀷􀁋􀁈􀁕􀁈􀀃􀁄􀁕􀁈􀀃􀁑􀁒􀀃􀁒􀁉􀂿􀁆􀁌􀁄􀁏􀀃􀁕􀁈􀁓􀁒􀁕􀁗􀁖􀀃􀁓􀁘􀁅􀁏􀁌􀁖􀁋􀁈􀁇􀀃 about the use of allopathic treatments and conventional bedding materials in organic livestock in Europe. Thus, an online survey (36 questions, 6 sections) across European countries has been conducted from October 2018 to February 2019. The questionnaire was translated into several languages following Brislin’s model. In France, 1,065 potential organic farmers were contacted by e-mail up to 3 times; 3 farmers’ associations also disseminated the link among their members. Of the 155 responses 􀁕􀁈􀁆􀁈􀁌􀁙􀁈􀁇􀀏􀀃􀀔􀀖􀀘􀀃􀁉􀁕􀁒􀁐􀀃􀁆􀁈􀁕􀁗􀁌􀂿􀁈􀁇􀀃􀁒􀁕􀁊􀁄􀁑􀁌􀁆􀀃􀁓􀁕􀁒􀁇􀁘􀁆􀁈􀁕􀁖􀀃􀁚􀁈􀁕􀁈􀀃􀁄􀁙􀁄􀁌􀁏􀁄􀁅􀁏􀁈􀀃􀁉􀁒􀁕􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃 analysis. Sex proportion (men:women) was 60:40, mostly between 31 and 50 years old (83/135). In general, the questionnaire was completed 􀁅􀁜􀀃􀁗􀁋􀁈􀀃􀁉􀁄􀁕􀁐􀀃􀁐􀁄􀁑􀁄􀁊􀁈􀁕􀀃􀀋􀀛􀀓􀀑􀀕􀀈􀀌􀀃􀁄􀁑􀁇􀀃􀁉􀁄􀁕􀁐􀁖􀀃􀁚􀁈􀁕􀁈􀀃􀁖􀁐􀁄􀁏􀁏􀀃􀀋􀂔􀀖􀀃􀁚􀁒􀁕􀁎􀁈􀁕􀁖􀀞􀀃􀀜􀀓􀀑􀀕􀀈􀀌􀀑􀀃 Respondents mainly reared 1 (63.7%) or 2 (22.2%) animal species. Beef (38.5%), dairy cattle (27.4%) and sheep (18.5%) were most frequent. Last year, 82/130 farmers applied 1 (80.5%) or more treatments per animal. The selection between allopathic and alternative treatments depended on the health problem. Between 15.4% (skin problems) and 34.6% (lameness) of the farmers still relied on conventional treatments instead of phytotherapy, homeopathy or probiotics; and between 6.5% (reproductive issues) and 35.3% (mastitis) used those alternatives as well as conventional treatments. Other farmers (66.4%) and veterinarians (46.3%) were the main information sources for the use of those alternatives. Straw is still the most used bedding material (91.1%). This preliminary analysis suggested the need for further research on alternatives to the use of allopathic treatments and straw for bedding in organic livestock, and that farmers are the key factor for the dissemination/ implementation of the results. This project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No [774340-Organic-PLUS].