Should sheep farmers in the Montmorillonnais area (Vienne, France), choose intensification or should they opt for more extensive methods ? Observations to fuel a debate

Abstract

Due to fierce competition from Great Britain and Ireland, French sheep farming has been going through a difficult period market by a continual increase in imports and a decrease in prices paid to farmers (- 40 % between 1980 and 1990). Intensive high input sheep farming has come under fire but it is possible to replace it, and if so, under what conditions, by less intensive systems ? This study deals with sheep farms in the Montmorillonnais are (Vienne, France) which have relatively large flocks for French conditions (300 ewes and 430 lambs per farm worker). Seven different production systems were identified. Two reasonably successful approaches differing in their emphasis on intensification were compared. The « successful intensives » use a system which enables them to produce both cash crops and sheep, thanks to a high density on grazing areas (1.5 5 livestock units/hectare) and the fattening of 2/3 of the lambs in the sheep sheds, the whole system requiring high input of fertilizers (110 units of N + P + K/hectare) and consumption of concentrate (190 kg/ewe). The « self sufficiency graziers » opted for a system relying more heavily on grass grazing : 3/4 of the lambs are put out to graze and there is a lower density of sheep in grazing areas (1 livestock unit/ha). There is also a low input of fertilizers (58 NPK/ha) and consumption of concentrate (107 kg of concentrates/ewe). However almost the whole area farmed is given over to sheep and slightly more lambs are produced (430 as compared with 410 per worker). Also less charges and capital are involved. The economic results obtained in 1989-1990 are equivalent. But it seems that specialised less intensive farms, are better placed to react to difficulties providing that they are well managed as intensive farms. Specially, it is important to maintain the number of lambs produced by each ewe in order to obtain greater profits stemming from reduced expenses.