A model to find and test decision rules for turnout date and grazing area allocation for a dairy cow system in spring

Coleno, Francois-Christophe; Duru, Michel

doi:10.1016/s0308-521x(99)00037-2

Cited by 21 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Doré et al, 1997;Aubry et al, 1998;Navarrete et al, 2006). Some authors have suggested that this approach is also appropriate for animal production (Bé ranger and Vissac, 1994), and several studies have addressed the question in terms of flexibility in work organization or allocation of grazing at the farm level (Colé no and Duru, 1999;Rapey et al, 2001;Girard et al, 2008;Madelrieux et al, 2009). Our results tackled this question in connection with breeding management at both the herd and population levels, and husbandry at the herd level.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consequences of the inscription of local breeds in protected designation of origin cow cheese specifications for the genetic management of the herds

Lambert-Derkimba

Minery

Barbat

et al. 2010

Animal

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In the mountainous areas of Europe with a humid climate, dairy cattle production is a major agricultural activity, and the milk is often processed into cheese according to protected designation of origin (PDO) specifications. We analyzed the extent to which PDO specifications and/or a mountain environment influence the spatial distribution of estimated breeding values (EBVs) of cows and the herd-year effects (HYEs) for milk yield (kg/lactation) and protein and fat contents (g/kg), as well as lactation ranks and calving months. The study focused on the northern French Alps. A total of 37 023 lactations, recorded in 2006, in 1153 herds were analyzed. The cows belonged to the Montbé liarde (21 516 lactations), Abondance (10 346 lactations) and Tarentaise (5161 lactations) breeds. The two factors of variation considered were the status of the commune where the farm was located in relation to PDO (three categories: area with no PDO, area with a PDO with no milk yield limit, area with a PDO with a milk yield limit) and 'mountain' environment (four categories based on the European regulation: plain, piedmont, mountain and high mountain). In the Abondance breed, the average lactation rank increased with an increase in production constraints due to the PDO or to a mountain environment. In the Abondance and Tarentaise breeds, grouping of calving in winter was most marked in the 'PDO with a milk yield limit' and 'high-mountain' categories. In the Tarentaise breed, no significant effect on any trait and any variable was found in the 'PDO' or 'mountain' categories. In the other two breeds, the average EBV for milk yield decreased with an increase in the constraints due to PDO, with differences of 226 and 93 kg between extreme values in the Abondance and Montbé liarde breeds, respectively. The average HYE for milk yield was higher in the Abondance breed in the 'PDO with no milk yield limit' category than in the other categories (1740 and 11110 kg, respectively); HYE was not affected by the 'PDO' factor in the Montbé liarde breed or by the 'mountain' factor in either breed. Concerning the protein and fat contents, the effect of the 'PDO' and 'mountain' factors depended on the trait, the variable and the breed. The proportion of individual decisions (the farmer makes the decision) v. collective decisions (breed management) concerning herd dynamics in the face of existing constraints is discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consequences of the inscription of local breeds in protected designation of origin cow cheese specifications for the genetic management of the herds

Lambert-Derkimba

Minery

Barbat

et al. 2010

Animal

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“…Farmers choose to apply zero-grazing to be able to control diets, optimize grassland utilization, and achieve a higher milk production, higher labor efficiency, and lower nutrient losses. Other reasons to choose zero-grazing are scarcity of land in relation to herd size and the application of an automatic milking system (Coléno and Duru 1999;Parsons et al 2004;Kristensen et al 2005;Van Vuuren and Van Den Pol-Van Dasselaar 2006;Arsenault et al 2009). Considering the expected trend towards more zero-grazing in the future, it is important to analyze whether this will have a positive or negative effect on the sustainability of dairy farming in Flanders and other comparable European regions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are characterized by high milk yields and increased inputs of nutrients and energy (Kristensen et al 2005;Arsenault et al 2009). Due to their intensification and their potential to control diets, facilitate work organization, and avoid grazing-related organizational difficulties, zero-grazing systems are expected to make more efficient use of resources than more traditional grazing systems (Coléno and Duru 1999;Haskell et al 2006;Arsenault et al 2009). Increased milk production can lead to significant savings in production costs and increase energy use efficiency (Zimmermann 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Higher sustainability performance of intensive grazing versus zero-grazing dairy systems

Meul

Passel

Fremaut

et al. 2012

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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Although grazing of dairy cows is an integral part of dairy farming in many European countries, farmers today more often choose for zero-grazing systems, where cows are housed throughout the year. Some studies already compared grazing and zero-grazing systems for specific issues such as labor efficiency, environmental impact, or animal welfare. In our study, we perform a more integrated evaluation, considering relevant ecological, economic, and social aspects. This allows for a balanced and more complete comparison of the sustainability performance of the two production methods. We evaluated ten intensive grazing and ten zero-grazing specialized Flemish dairy farms on the use of nutrients and energy, productivity and profitability, labor input, and animal welfare. In addition, we put special effort in formulating useful management advice for farmers. Therefore, we combined a detailed analysis of the sustainability indicators with an intensive interaction and discussion with farmers and farm advisors. Results show that, on average, the zero-grazing farms performed significantly worse from an ecological and economic point of view. This fact is explained mainly due to a less efficient use of concentrates and byproducts. Social sustainability performance did not differ significantly between the two groups. As a result, the integrated sustainability performance was significantly lower for the zero-grazing group. This finding shows that a further shift from intensive grazing to zero-grazing can move dairy farming in Flanders further away from sustainability. An important advice to improve the ecological and economic performance of zero-grazing farms is to optimize cows' rations to include more forages and optimize forage production and use. More detailed site-and case-specific management advice for farmers of both groups was provided during a discussion meeting. We consider this an essential additional step to any sustainability evaluation, since progress can only be made when monitoring results are translated into practical measures.

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“…They were already applied to farm management [1,20] and crop and forage systems management [2,8]. These authors rely on notions of production projects, strategic steering and operational steering.…”

Section: Formalisation Of the Information And Decision Sub-systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It starts with the constitution of the mating batch and the introduction of the rams and ends when all the ewes are dry. The batch production cycle therefore represents a "production workshop" [8] in which the farmer intervenes. The production organisation configures and coordinates the batch production cycles (Fig.…”

Section: Formalisation Of the Information And Decision Sub-systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

A discrete events simulation of flock dynamics: a management application to three lambings in two years

Cournut¹,

Dedieu²

2004

Anim. Res.

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-Sheep farmers are interested in models able to shed light on the consequences of new flock management decisions on the production level of ewes, and on the distribution of production within the annual calendar. In order to model the links between decisions and animal responses that lead to flock production, we conceived a simulator using the discrete events technique. The data came from the INRA Limousin flock, which used a three lambings in two years lambing management between 1974 and 1982. The process of the simulator design is presented. We formalised the flock as a system with two actors: the ewes and human decisions. The latter included strategic and operational steering, which are related to physical (i.e., animal and flock) and functional (i.e., groups, batch breeding cycles, ewe lambs stock) management entities. The ewe was defined by its productive trajectory and its biological responses (i.e., fertility, conception date, number of lambs born, and functional longevity) that were modelled statistically. The discrete events modelling technique is well suited to characterising the system since it includes various levels of abstraction and management of biological time and a decision calendar. The functional validation process was based on a plan of 50 computer experiments designed to test the correct functioning of the simulator. It shows a relative stability of the annual production level to moderate changes in the three lambings in two years management rules and in the fertility characteristics. We illustrate the regulation properties of the flock system by analysing the animal flows between the batch breeding cycles, entry/exit from the flock and the diversity of the productive trajectories of the ewes. herd dynamics / model / discrete events simulation / flock / management / three lambings in two years Résumé -Simulation à événements discrets du fonctionnement d'un troupeau ovin : application à la conduite du trois agnelages en deux ans. Les éleveurs ovin viande sont intéressés par des outils capables de simuler l'effet de changement de conduite sur le niveau et la répartition de la production de leur troupeau. Dans l'objectif de modéliser les liens unissant les décisions de conduite et les réponses biologiques animales lesquelles donnent lieu à la production et au renouvellement du troupeau, nous avons développé un simulateur à événements discrets dénommé « TUTOVIN ». Nous avons utilisé les informations collectées sur le troupeau Limousin de l'INRA, géré selon la conduite * Corresponding author: cournut@gentiane.enitac.fr 384 S. Cournut, B. Dedieu « 3 agnelages en 2 ans » entre 1974 à 1982. Les étapes de la conception du simulateur sont présentées. Nous formalisons le système troupeau, avec les deux acteurs que sont les animaux et les décisions humaines. Celles-ci sont représentées selon deux niveaux (stratégique et opérationnel), et concernent des entités de gestion physiques (animal, troupeau) et fonctionnelles (lots, cycles de production de lots, stock d'agnelles). La brebis est un acteu...

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A model to find and test decision rules for turnout date and grazing area allocation for a dairy cow system in spring

Cited by 21 publications

References 21 publications

Consequences of the inscription of local breeds in protected designation of origin cow cheese specifications for the genetic management of the herds

Consequences of the inscription of local breeds in protected designation of origin cow cheese specifications for the genetic management of the herds

Higher sustainability performance of intensive grazing versus zero-grazing dairy systems

A discrete events simulation of flock dynamics: a management application to three lambings in two years

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