Practicing green feeding
Green feeding consists of directly distributing to a herd's trough the freshly cut grass daily.
Presentation
Characterization of the technique
Description of the technique :
This technique, used in ruminant farming (cattle, goats, or sheep), aims to replace or reduce grazing in response to a lack of grazing area (too high stocking rate or plots too far away), and difficulties or concerns regarding parasitism (in goats). It can also be used in cases where the farm cannot afford to store much hay or silage.
The benefit of this technique is that it reduces the share of conserved fodder, such as maize silage for example, as well as protein-rich feed concentrates like soybean or rapeseed meal. This contributes to moving towards greater forage and protein autonomy on the farm.
The harvested green fodder can be obtained from grasslands (e.g., legume in pure stand or association of a legume and a grass or multi-species grassland), immature mixed crops (mixture of cereals and grain legumes), or catch crops (e.g., rapeseed or forage cabbage).
Harvesting catch crops during intercrop periods helps complement and secure the forage system and/or extend the feeding period. To harvest in autumn, sowing can be done before August 15, and for a spring supplement, sowing should be done between August 15 and September 15.
Note: To extend green feeding in summer, it is recommended to irrigate and/or establish alfalfa and/or have moist plots.
Details on the technique :
Conditions for implementing the technique:
Before implementing this technique, it is necessary to verify that the farm meets the following criteria:
- Plots grouped and close to buildings: a too fragmented and distant plot layout would cause considerable daily work time for mowing with associated fuel costs.
- Small farm with a small herd: similarly, a too large herd would result in excessive daily work time.
- Sufficient cash flow to invest in specific feeding equipment.
- Firm and gently sloping soils for machine accessibility.
- Adapted livestock building allowing easy movement inside and outside with the self-loading trailer or feeding conveyor.
Recommendations for better efficiency:
Green feeding is a technique that requires good pasture management skills. To maximize the benefits of this technique, it is recommended to:
- Adapt the ration to the grass.
- Favor upright species, pure or mixed, available at different seasons.
- Harvest young forage for better energy and nitrogen value.
- Respect sufficient regrowth periods between two harvests.
- Utilize the most advanced plots in stage as wrapped silage or hay.
- Avoid mowing too low to promote rapid regrowth.
Equipment:
The choice of equipment is crucial as the feeding equipment will be used almost daily for several months. There are three types of equipment usable for this technique :
- The flail forage harvester coupled with a distributing trailer : this is the most economical solution but only allows harvesting forage with little height. The harvested grass is not really cut and may be soiled by soil suction. It is a quick and economical solution but rather not recommended.
- The combination of a front mower and a self-loading trailer: this solution allows a high work rate and versatile use.
- The self-loading trailer equipped with an integrated drum mower: this is THE specialized equipment for green feeding, allowing a high work rate and versatile use.
The last two options are more suitable for green feeding and provide better cutting quality, but they represent a higher investment.
Implementation period On established crop
Spatial scale of implementation Plot
Farm
Application of the technique to...
All crops : Not applicable
This technique applies to forage crops because the objective is to produce forage for herd feeding. Generalizing this technique to another context is not sought in this case.
All soil types : Sometimes difficult to generalize
To carry out this technique, it is necessary to have a firm soil because the daily passage of heavy machinery for mowing can cause compaction. In less firm plots (or at the beginning/end of the season, when plots are wet), it is recommended to use equipment with wide, low-pressure tires to increase the contact area with the soil and better distribute the local load.
Moreover, on very steep soils, such as in mountains, it is necessary to equip with sufficiently powerful machinery to avoid rollover risks.
All climatic contexts : Sometimes difficult to generalize
In rainy weather, the harvested grass will be too wet to be directly distributed to animals. Farmers often let the grass "dry" in the self-loading trailer for a few hours before distribution (this is especially true in autumn). It is therefore sometimes necessary to postpone mowing during heavy rain.
Moreover, in the case of catch crops, success is highly dependent on weather conditions.
Regulations
There is no specific regulation concerning the practice of green feeding, except for some specifications of AOPs (Mâconnais and Charolais) which require a minimum of 120 days per year of grazing and/or green feeding.
Furthermore, if catch crops are established as forage resources, they must be declared on plain paper to the DDT (Departmental Directorate of Territories). Also, all crops established during the intercrop period must comply with the regulations in force at that time, i.e., the Nitrates Directive.
Services provided by the technique
Forage autonomy
This technique allows producing one's own forage for farms that do not practice grazing. It reduces dependence on conserved forage, such as maize silage for example. Harvesting green forage all year round and with a wide diversity of covers helps limit dry matter losses and obtain a quality feed ration.
Effect level : HIGH, even if technique used alone
Confidence index : HIGH
COMPLEMENTARY TECHNIQUE(S)
Cultivate perennial species mixtures
Harvest immature cereal(s)-grain legume mixtures
Establish catch crops or double-cropping
Cultivate annual species mixtures
Protein autonomy
This technique helps strengthen the protein autonomy of the system through the use of young forage rich in CP (Crude Protein). This reduces dependence on protein-rich feed concentrates such as soybean or rapeseed meal.
Effect level : HIGH, even if technique used alone
Confidence index : HIGH
COMPLEMENTARY TECHNIQUE(S)
Cultivate perennial species mixtures
Harvest immature cereal(s)-grain legume mixtures
Establish catch crops or double-cropping
Cultivate annual species mixtures
Effects on cropping system sustainability
"Environmental" criteria
Effect on air quality : No effect (neutral)
Effect on water quality : No effect (neutral)
Effect on fossil resource consumption : Increasing
Mowing every day implies increased fuel use which leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions. To limit this consumption, it is recommended not to practice this technique if the grasslands to be mowed are more than 3 km from the farm.
"Agronomic" criteria
Productivity : Variable
To know productivity, refusals and milk tank monitoring are done daily, since the grass is cut and distributed every day. However, the nature of the grassland and the harvest stage fluctuate regularly, as does the dry matter content of the grass. Productivity indicators thus fluctuate daily and milk quantity can vary day to day.
Production quality : Variable
For the same reasons as productivity varies, milk quality can vary day to day depending on grass quality. Quality also varies depending on the mowing period and the physiological stage of the crop.
Soil fertility : Increasing
Green feeding generally uses legumes in pure stand (e.g., alfalfa grassland) or in mixtures (e.g., Italian Ryegrass and red clover mix). Legumes, by fixing nitrogen, contribute to enriching the soil in nitrogen and ultimately increase mineralization potential. Some legumes also positively affect soil structure notably via their taproot systems (alfalfa, faba bean).
Similarly, the use of forage catch crops provides soil cover, structures the soil, and intensifies plot yield.
Water stress : Decreasing
The specific diversity of the plant population allows better use of available water (complementarity of root systems)
Functional Biodiversity : Increasing
The specific diversity of the plant population promotes floristic and faunistic biodiversity (microbial biomass, crop engineers, crop beneficials…)
"Economic" criteria
Operating costs : Variable
Green feeding reduces the share of feed concentrates in the ration, thus reducing their purchase.
Moreover, introducing temporary grasslands in the rotation can reduce mineral nitrogen fertilizer doses, especially if these grasslands consist of legumes.
Introducing temporary grasslands also reduces phytosanitary interventions.
However, care must be taken with production costs (establishment and fertilization) in the case of a catch crop because, unlike a grassland, costs are not spread over several years. For example, establishing a forage rapeseed costs about €60-80/ha, forage sorghum €100/ha, and an Italian ryegrass-red clover mix between €100 and €110/ha.
Mechanization costs : Increasing
Green feeding requires investing in specific equipment, which will be used almost daily for several months a year, leading to significant fuel consumption. Costs vary depending on the type of machine used (forage harvester or mower). It is therefore necessary to choose quality equipment adapted to the situation.
Margin : Variable
The profitability of this technique depends on two parameters:
Savings on inputs (concentrates, and possibly on mineral nitrogen and phytosanitary products). These savings are greater in the case of grassland than in the case of a catch crop.
Cost of equipment purchase and fuel cost related to equipment use
If input savings offset equipment and fuel costs, the margin will be positive. Otherwise, it will be negative.
This technique is therefore rather profitable in the long term, allowing time to amortize equipment costs.
"Social" criteria
Working time : Increasing
Mowing every day increases daily on-call time, estimated between 20 minutes and 1h30 depending on herd size, type of animals to feed, and distance of plots from buildings. This implies having several people on the farm so that someone is always available for on-call duty.
Moreover, animals spend more time indoors than if grazing, leading to additional cleaning operations (scraping and bedding)
Peak period : Decreasing
Work is spread throughout the year with daily work and generally no work peaks, compared to silage or hay production for example.
Effect on farmer health : No effect (neutral)
For more information
- Green feeding in goat farming
- -Jérémie Jost (Institut de l’Livestock-REDCap) and Nicole Bossis (Institut de l’Elevage).
Book, 2017
- Practicing green feeding
- -Institut de l’Elevage, Chamber of Agriculture, National Livestock Confederation.
Technical brochure, 2017
- Green feeding : high-producing cows with little concentrate
- -Mathieu Merlhe (Regional Chamber of Agriculture of Brittany)
2016
- Green feeding Joseph Lalloué : "In the pasture or at the trough, fresh grass ten months out of twelve"
- -Nathalie Tiers (independent agricultural journalist)
Press article, 2019
- Green feeding, Choosing multi-species grasslands and catch crops adapted to mowing
- -Robin Vergonjeanne (journalist for Terre-net Media), Fabien Olivier (agronomy advisor at the Chamber of Agriculture of Manche)
Interview, 2014
- Food autonomy in AOP cheese sectors, between terroir link and agroecology
- -Sophie Hulin (AOP Massif Central cheese cluster), Jean-Marc Arranz (Chamber of Agriculture of Pyrénées Atlantique), Jérémie Jost (IDELE)
Book, 2019
Keywords
Bioaggressor control method :
Mode of action :
Type of strategy regarding pesticide use :
Appendices
Est complémentaire des leviers
- Cultivate annual species mixtures
- Cultivate perennial species mixtures
- Cultivate perennial species
- Cultivate legumes / fabaceae
- Establish catch crops or double-cropping
- Harvest immature cereal(s)-grain legume mixtures
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