Vers un projet d’élevage caprin laitier économiquement viable et durable... Témoignage d’éleveur en Pays de Loire

Raising dairy goats more economically and sustainably: the experience of a farmer in the Pays de Loire region

A newly established dairy goat farmer, E. Cornilleau, decided to use a grazing-based system. In this article, we explore his underlying motivations and the path he followed, which led to a viable and self-sufficient system. In 2011, E. Cornilleau set himself up on 32 ha of land in the Maine-et-Loire department. By progressively planting alfalfa and multi-species pastures, he was able to reduce the level of supplementation he provided to his 172 dairy goats (334 kg/goat in 2013 for a yield of 705 litres of milk/goat). However, improved management of grazing remains a major concern for him. Different resources (training, trips to other farms, peer networking) helped him gradually put in place his current system; he is striving to become even more self-sufficient (close to 80% in 2013) by maximizing his use of grazing.