Adaptation des systèmes laitiers méditerranéens au nouveau contexte de prix des aliments et de réglementation européenne

Adaptation of Mediterranean dairy systems to the new context of feed prices and european

The feeding of dairy cows in the Mediterranean countries is often based on maize silage, supplemented by very large amounts of concentrates, for there is a lack of regular herbage production. The study of dairy farms in the Pô basin and in northern Portugal stresses the fact that in both these situations the farmers had to find adaptations to the European context (environmental problems and uncertainties regarding the price of milk and the price of concentrates).
In the Pô region and in northern Portugal, there is a large population density and a strong competition for water; maize (yielding nearly 20 t DM/ha) constitutes the main forage. These circumstances explain the high stocking rates and the growing utilization of concentrates. In 2007/2008, the rise in the price of milk did partly compensate the rise in cereal price, alleviating thus the fall in income. It is however difficult to lessen appreciably the concentrates in the diet of high-yielding cows. Moreover, in vulnerable zones, there is a risk that the implementation of the Nitrate directive may raise the milk production costs.