Description
The GAEC d’Arazon is the result of the fusion of two farms in 2007. These two farms are 15 km apart.
On the first place, farm building are big enough to house herd during winter, but there is not much grazing area. On the second place, paddocks are close of farm’s building and big enough for grazing but the building is too small for dairy cattle.
It was necessary to find a way to produce milk with grass in summer without high investment in a new farm’s building.
This way is to have two milking parlours, one by place, but with only one equipment kit (pipes, pumps…) which is movable.
During summer, cows are on the place where there can graze. During winter, there are on the place where there is the big enough building. The change of place is done twice a year, in march-april and in october. The last difficulty is there is no feeding transition for cows when they change place.
Reason for the innovation
- Graze the maximum of farm’s grasslands
- Graze far from the main building
- Low investments
- Feeding only with pasture in summer
Farm description
Environment
- Soils: Clay and limestone, more or less deep
- Climate: Oceanic with continental trend
- Altitude: 380m
Grassland management
- Grazing: Yes
- Grazing 6 month a year
- Winter grazing and autumn plant cover grazing with sheep herd
Structure
- Annual Work Unit: 3,8
- Organic agriculture
- Agricultural area: 220 ha UAA
- Temporary grassland: 25 ha
- Permanent grassland: 175 ha
- No corn silage
- Breeds: Crossing Holstein x Montbeliarde x Swedish red
Stocking
Animal performance
- Milk production per head: 5 000 L /year
- Sheep herd: 65 ewes
Why it is working
That was the only way to do matching all of the farmer objectives.
The innovation works because it allows to increase farm autonomy and because farmers have the will to bet on the pasture rather than the crop cultures.
