Representation of feeding systems in dairy breeding in order to understand their adaptation strategy to IGP specifications

Abstract

In mountainous regions milk production is traditionally combined with cheese production. To improve farm incomes in these regions,dairy farms must enhance the value of the products and the recognition of a quality cheese. In the Pyrenees, producers wish to make anon-pasteurised cheese with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) label: "Tomme des Pyrénées au lait cru". The specifications definea three-month grazing period and a quarter of the forage to be given as hay during the non-grazing period. In this part of southern France,the greatest number of farms uses maize silage in the feeding management. To conform to the specifications, the forage systems of thesefarms should be changed. We show the value of looking at the farm system's operational processes to suggest different ways of modifyingmanagement. After interviewing 12 dairy farmers, we identified (i) four types of grass area management (ii) three types of livestock production management. We analysed the convergence between livestock production management and grass use practices and as a result,describe four consistent management types. They permitted to understand the farming system's capacity for change. In addition, thisanalysis permitted us to propose different forms of technical advice to help farmers to meet the PGI label requirements. It is possible topropose four forms of advice that can be developed for the different types of management.