Description
« A paw hit, a charging cow… It doesn’t happen to me since I use dogs. Even while nursing cows ! »
Bruno Banon is a farmer and a former about « herd dogs ». So he isn’t very present on the farm. So his working time must be efficient and without risk.
With a fragmented plot set, animals have to change of paddock very frequently to have a good grass management. That normally demands to be several people with a trailer, to install fences… or to be alone with a 4×4 and a dog. The use of herd dog allows to move quickly the cattle and to increase work efficacity, for all of the GAEC du Petit Fer associates.
The dog allows to create a different relation of dominance with the cattle. Globaly, cows are stressless and more calm. The work security and comfort are so consolidated.
Reason for the innovation
- Be able to graze small and distant plots
- Increase work efficacity and comfort
- Secure work
Farm description
Environment
- Soils: Clay and limestone
- Climate: Oceanic to continental trend
- Altitude: 300m
Grassland management
- Grazing: Yes
- Grazing 7 months a year
Structure
- Annual Work Unit: 3
- Agricultural area : 206 ha UAA
- Temporary grassland: 15 ha
- Permanent grassland: 86 ha
- Corn silage: 30 ha
- Breeds: Prim’holstein and charolaises
- Stocking rate : 1,58 LU / ha of forage area
Animal performance
- Milk production per head: 9 000 L /year
Why it is working
Real will to work with dogs. It is a necessity to increase the work efficiency and the farm perform.
The farmer is vigilant to his behavior and to the dog and cattle behavior. It is important to have a coherence between the three.
A consolidated vigilance is done on the dogs training.
