BASIC TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DIFFERENT MODELS OF CATTLE MANAGEMENT

	Intensive production	Traditional extensive	European ecologic rules
Cow feeding	In general, few private resources, without pasture or cultivation of forage. Bigger concentrated fodder proportion (of industrial production).	Mainly private forage, cereal and proteins (broad beans, peas, soya) and less and less pasture. The exploitation depends on the cultivation and the pastures of the area.	Preferably private pastures and forages ecologically cultivated. Maximum 40% cereals and proteins of ecological cultivation.
Animal health and welfare	The cows are always in the stable or at the exercise yard. Stressed cows due to the volume of production demanded from them and the permanent stabling. Weak inmune system. Frequent diseases and frequent use of antibiotics and other medicines, with waiting periods during which milk cannot be sold. They have between 2 and 3 veals.	Stable in the winter and on the open air the rest of the year, depending on weather conditions. Few diseases. Less use of antibiotics but more and more frequent. They have between 5 and 6 veals.	If the weather conditions are favourable, they pasture in the field. They cannot be tied up. The stable needs to have at least 6 m2 per cow. Few deseases. Use of conventional medicine restricted. They can have between 7 or 8 veals.
Production	35-50 daily liters per cow	20-30 daily liters per cow (very variable according to specific characteristics).	15-20 daily liters per cow.
Means and waste	Automation needed (preparation of fodder, milking...). Many purines is generated and the exploitation has no land to use them as fertilizers.	Less need of automation. Cultivation machinery is needed. The proportion purine/land of explotation facilitates use as a fertilizers. It is however less and less used.	Cultivation machinery is needed. It allows a maximum of 2 cows or of 170 kg of nitrogen (in the purines) per hectare.
Final product: milk	More saturated fat, out-of-balance relation between the unsaturated fats Ω6/Ω3, more protein, less taste and consistency.	Less saturated fat and protein, more balanced relation Ω6/Ω3 with more pasture, more taste and consistency.	Less saturated fat, tendency to a balanced Ω6/Ω3 relation, less protein, more taste and consistency.