Use of veterinary services and treatments on organic and small conventional dairy farmers

INTRODUCTION Veterinary care of cows on organic dairy farms may be influenced by the USDA regulations that govern organic management standards (USDA, 2011). U.S. organic standards contain a unique and rigorous prohibition against use of most conventional allopathic veterinary treatments (USDA, 2011). There are no FDA approved antimicrobials on the USDA list of approved organic treatments and FDA guidelines do not allow for the use of unapproved drugs (regardless of whether or not the substance is a botanical, homeopathic remedy or food supplement) for treatment of food producing animals even under the supervision of a veterinarian. Organic producers (ORG) are required to provide appropriate medical treatment for sick cows, but those animals that receive an antimicrobial are permanently disqualified from organic production, thereby effectively providing a strong economic disincentive against the provision of necessary treatments and possibly influencing usage of veterinarians on organic dairy farms.