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Increasing Grazing in Dairy Cow Milk Production Systems in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Deirdre Hennessy

    (Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork P61 P30, Ireland)

  • Luc Delaby

    (INRAE, AgroCampus Ouest, Physiologie Environnement et Génétique pour l’Animal et les Systèmes d’Elevage, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France)

  • Agnes van den Pol-van Dasselaar

    (Grassland Science, Aeres University of Applied Sciences, 8251 JZ Dronten, The Netherlands)

  • Laurence Shalloo

    (Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork P61 P30, Ireland)

Abstract

In temperate regions of Europe where grass grows for most of the year, grazed pasture is the lowest cost feed for milk production. Grazed pasture can make a contribution to dairy cow feeding systems in other parts of Europe, but is less important. While there are many challenges to maintaining or increasing the proportion of grazed grass in dairy cow diets, there are also opportunities to increase its contribution. Grass use and quality can be challenging for several reasons, including the cow and sward interaction, and factors influencing dry matter intake. Adapting grazing management strategies can provide opportunities for incorporating grazing and perhaps increase grazing in dairy cow milk production systems. Pasture management tools and techniques offer the opportunity to increase herbage use at grazing. While there are many benefits of grazing including economic, environmental, animal welfare and social, there are also the challenges to maintaining grazed pasture in dairy cow diets. The objective of this paper is to present an overview of the challenges and opportunities for grazing in dairy milk production systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Deirdre Hennessy & Luc Delaby & Agnes van den Pol-van Dasselaar & Laurence Shalloo, 2020. "Increasing Grazing in Dairy Cow Milk Production Systems in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-15, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:6:p:2443-:d:334914
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Afshin Ghahramani & S. Mark Howden & Agustin del Prado & Dean T. Thomas & Andrew D. Moore & Boyu Ji & Serkan Ates, 2019. "Climate Change Impact, Adaptation, and Mitigation in Temperate Grazing Systems: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-30, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Möck, Malte & Becker, Talea & Feindt, Peter H., 2021. "Die Bedürfnisse landwirtschaftlicher Akteure in der Grünlandbewirtschaftung in Deutschland: Ergebnisse einer qualitativen Befragung," 61st Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany, September 22-24, 2021 317069, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    2. Radisav Dubljević & Božidarka Marković & Dušica Radonjić & Danijela Stešević & Milan Marković, 2020. "Influence of Changes in Botanical Diversity and Quality of Wet Grasslands through Phenological Phases on Cow Milk Fatty Acid Composition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-13, August.
    3. Xabier Díaz de Otálora & Agustín del Prado & Federico Dragoni & Fernando Estellés & Barbara Amon, 2021. "Evaluating Three-Pillar Sustainability Modelling Approaches for Dairy Cattle Production Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Darren J. Murphy & Michael D. Murphy & Bernadette O’Brien & Michael O’Donovan, 2021. "A Review of Precision Technologies for Optimising Pasture Measurement on Irish Grassland," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-36, June.
    5. Barbara Wróbel & Waldemar Zielewicz & Mariola Staniak, 2023. "Challenges of Pasture Feeding Systems—Opportunities and Constraints," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-31, April.
    6. Vogel, Everton & Beber, Caetano Luiz, 2021. "Sustainable Intensification Strategies for GHG Mitigation Among Heterogeneous Dairy Farms in Paraná, Brazil," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315219, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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