Estudio de la producción bovina ecológica y convencional en sistemas extensivos de dehesas en Extremadura.Análisis técnico-económico, de sostenibilidad y eficiencia de su sistema productivo. Posibilidades de conversión al modelo de producción ecológica

Abstract

The present doctoral thesis approaches a technical and economic study of the beef cattle farms located in dehesas of Extremadura. The data used were obtained by surveying managers of 63 holdings (30 conventional farms and 33 organic ones). Firstly, a characterization of the farms was carried out. This step was based on: (a) technical and economic aspects; and (b) their level of intensification; their size; and their belonging to the Conventional system, Organic 1 (organic farmsthat only sold non-organic calves at weaning age), or Organic 2 (organic farms selling fattened calves under the organic production system). Later, in order to know the adequacy of the typologies and the systems (Conventional, Organic 1 and Organic 2) within the dehesa�s context, a sustainability assessment was carried out. This was made by comparing the systems and the typologies using a methodological adaptation of the Assessment Framework Management Systems Incorporating Sustainability Indicators (MESMIS in Spanish) based on five attributes of sustainability: Productivity; Equity; Stability and Resilience; Self-reliance; and Adaptability and Flexibility. In the analysis of sustainability according to the Conventional, Organic 1 and Organic 2 systems, it was observed that both organic systems were more sustainable from the environmental point of view. Furthermore, organic and full-cycle farms (Organic 2) were the most sustainable option (among the three systems analyzed). It was observed that, in general terms, all farms must make improvements in all areas of action, but especially with regard to the health and the agro-ecosystem management. Regarding animal welfare, holdings were in an acceptable level (near the ecological model). From the social point of view and the principle of justice, farms must take part in the elaboration and selling of their products (short marketing channels). Considering the environmental dimension and the principle of ecology, more environmentally friendly farming practices should be implemented. Finally, it is worthy of mention that measures of transverse support are necessary to increase technical support, increase the demand for organic products, and to reduce the organic inputs prices. Such measures, would improve organic farms success once they had went through the conversion process.