Quels sont les besoins de recherche sur la valeur des fourrages pour les ruminants ? Analyse d'avis d'experts

Gaps in our knowledge of forage value in ruminant livestock systems: analysing the opinions of experts

In order to increase forage system sustainability and/or feed autonomy, some ruminant farmers have modified their forage management strategies and implemented a variety of alternative practices. Consequently, it is opportune to identify gaps in our knowledge of the value of the forage types used in ruminant livestock systems. To this end, 21 experts in the fields of forage or ruminant production (scientists or farming advisors) were interviewed. In general, respondents underscored the need to acquire more information on forage nutritional value (i.e., the value of new types of resources or ways of improving the methods used to predict forage value, especially in the case of mixed feeds). Furthermore, most of the respondents suggested that additional criteria should be used when evaluating forage value; for example, the impact on animal health could be examined.