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Pasture usage for dairy cows: economic, ecological and issues of animal welfare
Project
Project code: 2812NA009
Contract period: 01.12.2013
- 30.11.2016
Budget: 500,050 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
This project aims at analysing the profitability of using pasture to feed dairy cows using an interdisciplinary approach. This analysis will be carried out for the Federal States Brandenburg and Lower Saxony in Germany. These regions differ substantially in their farm size structure but also with regards to their climatic conditions. It is common knowledge that dairy herds with more than 8,000 kg average milk yield per cow need additional forage since their energy demand cannot be covered by grazing only. Furthermore, grazing requires additional labour and is connected with higher infection risk (e.g., Schmallenberg-virus). Besides this, pasture usage for grazing has substantial positive impacts on animal health and their welfare. Against this background the question arises whether high-performance herds can be fed based on pasture land for grazing. The aim of this project is to analyse the profitability of milk production with pasture use for grazing under specific consideration of animal welfare and a sustainable use of the grassland. Ideally the results provide the base for policy advice for second-pillar policy measures within the EU CAP. This may include insights about incentives to preserve grassland in the long-term.
Section overview
Subjects
- Grassland
- Animal health
- Animal nutrition
- Agroecology
- Agroeconomics
Framework programme
Federal Organic Farming Scheme and other forms of sustainable agriculture (BÖLN)
Funding programme
Excutive institution
Department of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences (WISOLA)
