Description

Practice abstract

Upon their establishment in 2015, Sylvia and Jean François aimed to set up a 100% grass-fed and organic dairy farm. Their objective is to achieve “the best income per hour possible.” They aimed for food self-sufficiency to minimize expenses and worked on reducing working hours. Their 54 dairy cows are thus managed through once-a-day milking, with a stocking rate reaching 1 hectare per cow. They produce an average of 4,500 liters of milk per cow without purchasing concentrates.  

However, the summer period is challenging to pass with 100% grazing using “traditional” pastures, due to very dry conditions. In 2017, they introduced summer pastures based on chicory (Cichorium intybus), plantain (Plantago lanceolata), and clover into their grazing rotation. These pastures are intended to provide high-quality standing forage in the summer and ensure good regrowth. For this purpose, approximately 4 hectares of this type of pasture are available each year, accounting for 10% of the total area.  

Today, they have achieved their goal: the cows graze all summer, milk production is maintained, and the cows are in good condition. The investment is low,  and the grazing period has been extended rapidly. 

Their advice: chicory should be dominant in the mix. It should not be mixed with a “traditional” grazed pasture, otherwise the cows will selectively graze other species. Ungrazed chicory then bolts and is no longer consumed by the animals. 

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