Towards sustainable dairy sheep farms based on self-sufficiency: patterns and environmental issues
2016
Thénard, V | Choisis, J P | Pagès, Y
Agroecology can provide a framework to ensure the sustainability of farming systems in regard to environmental issues of agriculture. In the case of livestock productions, the improvement of feeding systems is one way to limit their environmental impacts. In southern France, development of dairy sheep production under the Roquefort label has led to most of farms to using a high level of input. But over the past few years, groups of farmers have shared perspectives and ideas to test innovative sustainable practices to improve their farms adaptability, mainly increasing farms’ self-sufficiency. We developed a research project on self-sufficien- cy patterns and their environmental impacts assessment. Based on a participatory approach, we organised focus-groups on self-sufficiency definition and agro-environmental performances. We carried on 20 farmers’ interview to collect data about practices and environmental features. Four self-sufficiency patterns were identi- fied and a set of 20 indicators which addressed agronomical and environmental features was built. Feed self- sufficiency is different for each pattern. The main differences of environmental impacts (based on input use) are linked to the Organic pattern. The use of wide diversity of meadows and species increases the concentrate suf- ficiency. This study is an important milestone to implement agroecological practices in dairy sheep production
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