A set of references for Auvergne-Lozere to be used as a management aid for systems of cattle rearing on grass

摘要

Animal farming systems in Auvergne are based on extensively managed permanent pastures (< 1 L.U./ha stocking rates). There is presently an increase in farm areas, while productions remain constant. This extensification is not always planned with regard to the whole farm system, and this creates unbalances in the forage system. Forage references were set up to provide the development technicians with regional technical data to facilitate the diagnoses on the consistency of the forage systems. In this set of references, the management of forage areas (grazing periods, storage) is approached through the amount of forage harvested yearly per L.U. and the stocking rate. Fifteen types of forage systems were defined and described, according to the location and the type of forage harvested. In case a forage system is inconsistent, these partial references send back to more refined analyses of the forage system and to more comprehensive ones of farm functioning.