Simulation of forage management strategies considering farm-level land diversity: Example of dairy farms in the Auvergne

Andrieu, Nadine; Poix, Christophe; Josien, Étienne; Duru, Michel

doi:10.1016/j.compag.2006.11.004

Cited by 31 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Managing different species or breeds with contrasting adaptive capacities within the same herd offers an efficient lever to buffer the effects of extreme climate events on herd productivity and farm income (Tichit et al, 2004 and2011). This so-called portfolio effect has also been reported in plant assemblages and at forage system level (Andrieu et al, 2007). However, these studies were so far restricted to either animal or resource components; the next step is to combine the two to identify which level of within-farm diversity could be deployed to benefit several farm performance criteria (I28).…”

Section: Managing For Resilience: Adapting Aps To Risk and Uncertaintmentioning

confidence: 97%

Forty research issues for the redesign of animal production systems in the 21st century

Dumont

García

Thomas

et al. 2014

Animal

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Agroecology offers a scientific and operational framework for redesigning animal production systems (APS) so that they better cope with the coming challenges. Grounded in the stimulation and valorization of natural processes to reduce inputs and pollutions in agroecosystems, it opens a challenging research agenda for the animal science community. In this paper, we identify key research issues that define this agenda. We first stress the need to assess animal robustness by measurable traits, to analyze trade-offs between production and adaptation traits at within-breed and between-breed level, and to better understand how group selection, epigenetics and animal learning shape performance. Second, we propose research on the nutritive value of alternative feed resources, including the environmental impacts of producing these resources and their associated non-provisioning services. Third, we look at how the design of APS based on agroecological principles valorizes interactions between system components and promotes biological diversity at multiple scales to increase system resilience. Addressing such challenges requires a collection of theories and models (concept-knowledge theory, viability theory, companion modeling, etc.). Acknowledging the ecology of contexts and analyzing the rationales behind traditional small-scale systems will increase our understanding of mechanisms contributing to the success or failure of agroecological practices and systems. Fourth, the large-scale development of agroecological products will require analysis of resistance to change among farmers and other actors in the food chain. Certifications and market-based incentives could be an important lever for the expansion of agroecological alternatives in APS. Finally, we question the suitability of current agriculture extension services and public funding mechanisms for scaling-up agroecological practices and systems.

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Section: Managing For Resilience: Adapting Aps To Risk and Uncertaintmentioning

confidence: 97%

Forty research issues for the redesign of animal production systems in the 21st century

Dumont

García

Thomas

et al. 2014

Animal

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“…These were either grasslandbased beef or dairy cattle farming systems (Andrieu et al 2007;Cacho et al 1995;Romera et al 2004) or mixed beef and dairy cattle farming systems relying on grasslands and crops (Rotz et al 2009;Vayssières et al 2009). Smallholder mixed-farming systems included more marginal crops and livestock species such as quinoa, beans and donkeys (Herve et al 2002;Pfister et al 2005).…”

Section: Design Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The corresponding goals were yields (Keating et al 2003;Tittonell et al 2010) or herbage use efficiency at grazing (Andrieu et al 2007;Romera et al 2004). In some cases, multiple goals were examined.…”

Section: Design Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a few cases, it was the so-called land unit, possibly aggregating several fields (Blazy et al 2010;Herve et al 2002) and in one case, the whole farm was treated as if it was a single paddock of pasture (White et al 2010). Animal processes were modelled at the scale of individual cows (Romera et al 2004), of average representative animals (Andrieu et al 2007;Martin et al 2011b), of the whole herd (White et al 2010).…”

Section: Computer Model Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

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Farming system design to feed the changing world. A review

Martin

Martin‐Clouaire

Duru

2012

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

Self Cite

116

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Agricultural production is unstable as a result of complex, dynamic and interrelated factors such as climate, markets and public policy that are beyond farmers' control. Farmers must therefore develop new farming systems incorporating innovations in objectives, organization and practices adapted to changing production contexts. As a consequence, agronomists have expanded the "farming system design" field of research. A variety of quantitative and qualitative design approaches have been developed to support the analysis of current farming systems and the design and evaluation of alternatives. A comprehensive literature assessment is lacking for this emerging field of agricultural science. Here we review 41 farming system design approaches using computer models. Our main findings are the following: (1) the reviewed literature do not make reference to the theoretical approaches from the field of design science. (2) Two categories of farming system approaches can be distinguished: optimisation approaches, and participatory and simulation-based approaches. These two categories are connected to two of the main design science theories. (3) For optimisation approaches, farming system design is mainly seen as a problem-solving process. Emphasis is placed on the computational exploration of the solution space by a problem-solving algorithm. (4) For participatory and simulation-based approaches, conceptualization of the design problem is central to the farming system design process. The subsequent exploration of the solution space relies on the creativity of humans. (5) Optimisation approaches, and participatory and simulationbased approaches are oriented towards the development of exploitative rather than exploratory innovations. Exploitative innovations involve the exploitation of available knowledge while exploration innovations build on knowledge created in the course of the design process.

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“…Recently, many dynamic models of grassland-based feeding systems have been developed (cow-calf systems: Martin et al, 2009; dairy cow systems: Andrieu et al, 2007). In these models, paddock utilization is chosen by the user or simulated as a function of vegetation type, topography and distance from the cowshed; the exact timing and duration of grazing on each paddock is flexible and depends on the current state of the vegetation on the paddock and on the total forage availability on the farm.…”

Section: Indicators To Support Grazing Management Decisions In Heteromentioning

confidence: 99%

Rangeland utilization in Mediterranean farming systems

Jouven

Lapeyronie

Moulin

et al. 2010

Animal

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In the countries surrounding the Mediterranean basin, most of the semi-natural grazing lands are covered by rangelands. Rangelands can be defined as highly heterogeneous natural vegetation communities with high conservation value, growing in harsh environments (poor soils, unfavourable climatic conditions). In the recent socio-economic context, traditional livestock grazing practices that enabled one to reconcile rangeland preservation and animal production no longer apply, especially because they require labour that has become scarce and costly. The consequence is rangeland degradation, due to underutilization in Southern Europe, and overutilization in Northern Africa. We analysed issues raised by rangeland utilization in livestock farming systems of the Mediterranean basin. Based on a review of the scientific literature about rangeland utilization in this area, we argue that the best way to reconcile animal production and rangeland preservation would be to promote management practices allowing animals to express their adaptative capacities in feeding behaviour and productive response. In order to propose management practices adapted to extensive and simplified systems, we conclude that research efforts should focus on: (i) proposing a functional characterization of vegetation heterogeneity at the scale of the vegetation community, (ii) validating the criteria determining animals' foraging behaviour on Mediterranean rangelands, (iii) developing and using simulation models to test management strategies against seasonal and long-term variability in climatic conditions and (iv) evaluating the potential of modern technologies for improving rangeland utilization.

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Simulation of forage management strategies considering farm-level land diversity: Example of dairy farms in the Auvergne

Cited by 31 publications

References 35 publications

Forty research issues for the redesign of animal production systems in the 21st century

Forty research issues for the redesign of animal production systems in the 21st century

Farming system design to feed the changing world. A review

Rangeland utilization in Mediterranean farming systems

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