INTRODUCTION
Organic agriculture is based on 4 ethical principles:health, ecology, fairness, and care (IFOAM, 2005). According to these principles, organic dairy production systems should promote cow health and welfare; for example, by using robust cows that are well adapted to the organic farm environment. Robustness can be described as a cow’s ability to function well in the environment in which it lives (Strandberg, 2009) and is reflected by longevity; that is, the cow’s ability to avoid
being culled. Culling is often described as voluntary (mainly due to low production) or involuntary (e.g.,due to low reproduction or disease). The relationship between longevity and animal health and integrity makes longevity a highly desirable trait in organic dairy production.