Description
Quick rotational grazing with 2 days/plot, on average.
Going from a 5 days/plot rotational grazing to a 2 days/plot to better use grass and increase grasslands valorization.
The plots are 1 ha large on average with 4 moves of 45 dairy cows in 2 days. Fencing with movable wires and setting of complementary water troughs.
The decision to use rotational grazing was taken with Bongrain with regard to the « Carbon footprint »: pilot farm where one thinks about the heifers’ rearing length (age at first calving), the concentrates consumption, the valorization of grass…
Reason for the innovation
The farmer’s strategy is set up regarding a cost reduction.
Farm description
Environment
- Soil: Clay, limestone, loam
- Climate: Oceanic climate
Grassland management
- Grazing management type: continuous grazing
- Length: 6 months/year
- 60% of the grasslands exclusively mowed
- Fertilization: 120 μN
- Dominant grass and legume species in grasslands: Perennial rye-grass, Cocksfoot, Fescue and White Clover
- Forage conservation type: Silage, Hay
Structure
- Annual Work Unit: 2
- Agricultural Area: 110 ha UAA
- 66 ha of main forage area including:
- 35 ha of temporary grasslands
- 17 ha of permanent grasslands
- 14 ha of corn silage
- Farm type: Specialist milk production
- Breed: Pie Rouge
- Livestock Unit: 137
- Stoking rate: 2.1 LU/ha main forage area
Animal performance
- Milk production per head: 10 600L
Why it is working
The will of the breeders in the implementation of this innovation is the first factor of success. They wish to do reasonable things with a good distribution of workload and autonomy of the current system.
