Des prairies toujours entretenues par les élevages allaitants extensifs... Quelques enseignements

Some lessons learned from long-term pastures maintained by extensive livestock suckler farming

Permanently maintained pastures in France are often located in less desirable areas of the country and are extensively used for grass based farming, dairy farming (in mountainous regions), and suckler farming (cattle and sheep, down into the valleys). These production systems are of interest because they employ practices respectful of the environment and local biodiversity. We conducted observations of 73 cattle suckler farms (12 of which use organic agriculture) located in the Massif Central. We saw that they managed to maintain vast fodder areas, ranging from 1.2 ha of main fodder area per LU for calf producers or sheep producers in semi-montainous areas to 0.6 ha of main fodder area per LU for finishers. For the farms included in our sample, we describe the grass harvesting techniques used, input consumption, and the earnings associated with different production systems. The survival of these farms is tied to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funding; recent changes to this program are analysed.