Page "Agroecology" Paragraph 23

A key component of animal welfare is freedom to perform their innate ( natural ) behavior, and this is stated in one of the basic principles of organic agriculture.

Also, there are other aspects of animal welfare to be considered-such as freedom from hunger, thirst, discomfort, injury, fear, distress, disease and pain.

Because organic standards require loose housing systems, adequate bedding, restrictions on the area of slatted floors, a minimum forage proportion in the ruminant diets, and tend to limit stocking densities both on pasture and in housing for dairy cows, they potentially promote good foot and hoof health.

Some studies show lower incidence of placenta retention, milk fever, abomasums displacement and other diseases in organic than in conventional dairy herds.

However, the level of infections by parasites in organically managed herds is generally higher than in conventional herds.