Perceptions of French private veterinary practitioners on their role in organic dairy farms

International audience

English. Veterinarians could be farmers’ sparring partners in reaching organic principles such as promoting animal health and welfare, by exchanging and converting their knowledge into relevant management practices with farmers. However, in the past, organic dairy farmers have not always considered veterinarians to be their pertinent advisors. The objectives of this study are (from private veterinary practitioners’ point of views): (1) to describe the roles of veterinarians today in organic dairy farmers’ animal health promotion strategies; (2) to identify factors related to organic farming which determine that role; and (3) to identify opportunities for improvement of veterinarians’ advisory services for these farms. Fourteen veterinarians were interviewed, using qualitative semi-structured research interviews. A modified approach to Grounded Theory was used for data collection and analysis. Many veterinarians had only contact with organic dairy farmers in cases of individual ill animals or acute herd health problems. Even though certain veterinarians experienced animal health and welfare situations and practices not meeting their standards, they were not always able to establish themselves in an advisory role supporting farmers in improving this. Indeed, organic production principles, regulations and farmers’ health approaches challenged veterinarians’ values on animal health and welfare and their perceptions of ‘good veterinary practices’. Some veterinarians found that there was no direct economic interest for them in the organic dairy sector and that could diminish their willingness to invest in this sector. Opportunities for improvement were identified; propose proactively advice, adapt advisory services and/ or dissociate veterinarians’ curative role from their advisory role in disease prevention.