Description

Practice abstract

When Florian set up on the family farm in 2018, his aim was to maintain the grazing system put in place by his parents while increasing the size of the herd by 40% (80 dairy cows today). The system of 0.4-0.45 ha of pasture per dairy cow meets their objectives: 7,200 litres of milk sold per cow, a controlled feed cost of less than 70 €/1000 L and the maize silage silo closed for several months while grazing exclusively. 

With limited accessible land around the milking site, Florian and his father decided to install a mobile milking parlour to graze two more distant sites. In 2020, they began discussions with their neighbours and offered to swap land. Florian and his father sold 11ha to different neighbours and gained 4ha for crops and 7ha of nice grasslands that can easily be grazed by the dairy cows.This opportunity means that they will no longer have to move the milking parlour, which has shown its limitations in terms of arduousness and working time (washing and moving the milk in particular). 

Today, they can invest in a building for the dairy cows and a fixed milking parlour to further improve their working comfort, while continuing to graze the herd. 

Florian’s advice: don’t hesitate to talk to your neighbours, the renewal of farmers is an opportunity to shake things up and review the organisation of the land. 

Context profil