-Comprendre les atouts de la diversification des systemes d’elevage herbivores Dans un contexte global qui a longtemps favorise la specialisation des systemes et des territoires, les systemes d’elevage d’herbivores conservent en Auvergne des productions variees du fait de la geographie et de l’histoire regionale. La transition agroecologique met en avant la diversification des systemes d’elevage comme un des leviers pouvant repondre aux enjeux productifs, environnementaux et sociaux qui sont les leurs. Les references techniques et organisationnelles manquent pourtant. Le projet new-DEAL (2015-2020) visait a produire de telles references a des niveaux d’analyse allant du territoire jusqu’aux troupeaux, prairies et collectifs de travail qui constituent ces systemes, afin d’accroitre la resilience et l’autonomie des elevages d’herbivores par leur diversification. Pour cela, un partenariat a ete noue avec trois types d’acteurs indispensables pour developper des politiques agricoles territorialisees : les chambres d’agriculture qui accompagnent les agriculteurs et peuvent jouer sur les decisions de diversification, les lycees agricoles qui forment les agriculteurs de demain, et les collectivites territoriales qui developpent leur strategie agricole localement. Deux territoires ont fait l’objet d’analyses approfondies : le Bocage Bourbonnais (03) avec des elevages bovins-ovins viande, bovins-equins et des polyculteurs-viande, et le Pays de Saint-Flour (15) dans lequel on rencontre egalement des elevages bovins a orientation lait et viande. -Une demarche largement basee sur des enquetes en exploitations ou aupres des consommateurs L’approche par enquete individuelle (aupres d’experts locaux, d’eleveurs, de consommateurs), associant la collecte d’informations quantitatives et qualitatives, a ete utilisee a differentes echelles d’analyse (territoire, systeme d’exploitation, filiere, gestion du troupeau). A l’echelle du territoire, l'appreciation de la rente associee a la diversite de l’elevage local s’est faite en deux temps : l’identification des « bouquets d'amenites » associes a l’elevage a partir de l’analyse de documents et d’entretiens aupres d’experts zootechniciens, economistes, etc. ; l’evaluation, par une centaine de consommateurs interroges dans les deux terrains, du consentement a payer pour differents paniers de produits issus du territoire. L’originalite est ici de questionner des consommateurs des petites villes alors que beaucoup de travaux anterieurs privilegiaient des citadins. Au total, 180 enquetes en exploitations ont ete realisees dans les principaux systemes d’elevage d’herbivores mixtes et specialises de la region, completees par autant d’enquetes postales ou par voie electronique. Un modele d’optimisation sous contrainte complete l’analyse economique et permet de simuler la resilience des exploitations a des aleas du marche. Deux dispositifs pluri-annuels ont ete suivis a INRAE et la station experimentale de l’IFCE pour tester les hypotheses sous-jacentes aux atouts de la mixite bovins-ovins et bovins-equins. Six especes de cultures derobees ont ete implantees a INRAE et a l’EPL de Moulins pour analyser leur valeur alimentaire pour les ruminants. -Resultats scientifiques majeurs du projet Dans les deux terrains enquetes, le comportement d’achat des consommateurs pour la viande provenant des elevages du territoire est motive en premier lieu par la volonte de preserver l’emploi local. La presence d’un signe officiel de qualite pour un des produits du panier accroit le consentement a payer du consommateur. Dans toutes les filieres analysees, les exploitations diversifiees sont en moyenne plus grandes que les exploitations specialisees. La taille des collectifs de travail n’augmente pas proportionnellement a la taille des structures, ce qui entraine de forts besoins d’equipements et un risque de simplification des pratiques. Toutefois, une reduction importante des intrants est envisageable dans ces exploitations grâce a une meilleure valorisation de l’herbe en pâturage mixte et du fait de la dilution de la charge parasitaire des animaux. La mixite d’especes accroit aussi les capacites d’adaptation des eleveurs notamment pour la gestion des investissements, des pics de travail, et face aux evolutions du marche. -Principaux resultats de valorisation Un jeu de vingt-six fiches synthetiques et illustrees presente nos principaux resultats a differentes echelles d’analyse. Elles sont pretes a etre diffusees en direction des acteurs non-academiques sous forme papier et electronique. Certaines ont commence a l’etre sur les reseaux sociaux. L’EPL de Saint-Flour a integre la thematique et la presentation des principaux resultats de New-DEAL dans des enseignements initiaux et pour adultes, et plusieurs chercheurs l’ont egalement fait dans leurs cours a AgroSup Dijon, VetAgro Sup, l’ISARA, ou a l’ecole chercheur agroecologie Agreenium-WUR. La Communaute de Communes du Bocage Bourbonnais s’est appuyee sur certains de nos travaux pour developper ses projets. La valorisation des resultats du projet se fait aussi grâce aux partenariats engages au-dela du cercle des partenaires de New-DEAL : cooperatives de commercialisation des produits ovins et bovins, Cantal Controle Elevage et Allier Conseil Elevage, Federation des Eleveurs de Chevaux de Trait du Massif Central, etc. -Production scientifique Les resultats des recherches effectuees ont d’ores et deja donne lieu a une valorisation scientifique par huit publications dans des revues a comite de lecture (+ 5 soumises) et 16 communications a des congres nationaux ou internationaux dans des spheres non limitees au monde de l’elevage. Nous avons deja fait plusieurs presentations au Sommet de l’Elevage, au SPACE, etc., ainsi que des interventions « grand public » (Nuit de l’agroecologie, etc.). Une these sur la mixite entre bovins allaitants et chevaux de selle a ete soutenue, et 16 etudiants ingenieur ont finalise leur formation dans le cadre du projet. Le projet PSDR4 Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes new-DEAL (2015-2020) a ete structure et est porte scientifiquement par deux UMR clermontoises fortement investies dans l’etude des elevages d’herbivores et de leurs territoires. Il s’est appuye sur un partenariat non-academique agricole et territorial.

The aims of this work were to determine the effect of upland origin on milk composition when comparing similar lowland and upland production system and to highlight the factors responsible for the added value of upland milk from commercial farms. Tanker milk from 55 groups of farms (264 farms in total) in France, Slovakia, and Slovenia was collected twice during the indoor season and 3 times during the outdoor season. The tanker rounds were selected in each country to be balanced according to their origin (lowland or upland) and within upland or lowland groups, according to the forage systems: corn-based or grass-based forage system. At each milk sampling, the production conditions were recorded through on-farm surveys. The milk was analyzed for gross composition, carotenoids, minerals, fatty acids, phenolic compound derivatives, volatile organic compound concentrations, and color. The milk from upland and lowland areas differed in their contents of a few constituents. Upland milk was richer in not identified (n.i.) retention time (Rt) 13,59, 4-methylpentylbenzene, 1-methyl-2-n-hexylbenzene, and β-caryophyllene than lowland milk. These differences could be most likely attributable to the utilization of highly diversified and extensively managed semi-natural grasslands. The higher forbs content of upland pastures could be related as well to the richness in C18:3n-3, CLA cis-9,trans-11, MUFA, and PUFA we observed in upland compared with lowland milk during the outdoor season. In contrast, grazing on lowland pastures rich in grasses gave a yellower milk that was richer in β-carotene. Out of the few compounds showing a significant effect of origin or its interaction, most of the milk constituents were unaffected by the origin at all. However, almost all milk constituents differed according to the forage system and the season, and the differences observed between seasons can be attributed to differences in the cow diet composition.

Animal robustness has been identified as an adaptive tool in the agroecological transition; it is the ability of an animal to maintain performance at expected levels in a fluctuating environment. The objective of this study was to analyse how dairy farmers characterise and assess the robustness of their animals. From interviews with 39 dairy farmers emerged 4 main definitions of robust daily cows: "adapted to the environment and environmental variability", "tough with a strong temperament.", "productive and economical", or "less productive but displaying endurance". These definitions differed based on i) the phenotypic traits of the animals upon which farmers based their descriptions (e.g., production, morphology, docility); ii) the time scale considered; and iii) the farmer's relationship with the environment (i.e., control vs. adaptation). This diversity of viewpoints should be accounted for in exchanges between farmers and agricultural advisors.

In dairy farms calves and cows are usually separated shortly after birth but this practice raises the question of animal welfare. This social concern may lead to bring back dairy calves to their mother. Even though suckling is quite seldom in dairy production, some farmers are using such a practice for many years. The present study aims to better know farmer’s motivations, practical implementation and farmer’s perception of the impact of suckling on performance and animal behaviour. In January 2018 a semi-quantitative survey was performed on 44 farms where calves suckle at least 24 hours their mother or a nurse cow. The farming systems differed on the size (20 to 140 cows), the type (19 conventional, 25 organic farms), the suckling (28 by the mothers, 16 by nurses), and the breed. Results indicate that main farmers’ motivations are calves’ health (52%), better working conditions (41%) and saving time (34%), with little consideration on animal welfare (7%). Numerous practices were found in terms of allowance of daily cow-calf contact and suckling duration with a difference between male and female calves. According to farmers, these practices were efficient to improved calves’ health (70%), save time (75%) and improved working conditions (52%). Weaning was considered as a stressful situation, especially after long suckling periods. Cow mooing usually stopped 2.5 d after weaning. At least 34 farmers are fully satisfied with this practice. The main challenge appears to be the management of the wildness of future heifers, by investing time to manipulate calves before weaning. The results of this survey could help to propose solutions to farmers who want to cope with the societal demand of keeping calves with dams in dairy herds.

La robustesse des animaux est un levier d’adaptation identifie dans le contexte de la transition agroecologique, dans la mesure ou elle caracterise leur aptitude a maintenir des performances d’interet, dans des environnements variables. Il s’agit ici d’analyser comment les eleveurs de vaches laitieres caracterisent et evaluent la robustesse de leurs animaux. Des entretiens conduits aupres de 39 eleveurs laitiers ont permis de mettre en evidence 4 definitions possibles de la robustesse d’une vache : « qui s’adapte a son environnement et aux perturbations », « solide avec du temperament », « econome et autonome », « moins productive, mais qui dure ». Ces definitions se distinguent sur la base i) des caracteristiques phenotypiques mobilisees pour decrire les animaux (niveau de production, morphologie, docilite…), ii) de l’echelle temporelle mobilisee et iii/ du rapport des eleveurs avec leur environnement de production : controle ou adaptation. L’existence de cette diversite de points de vue doit etre prise en compte dans les echanges entre eleveurs et conseillers.

This study was undertaken to first quantify the effect of heat stress on milk yield and components of Tarentaise in comparison to Holstein cows. A dataset of 16,143 monthly individual records of production traits was collected for 435 Tarentaise and 543 Holstein cows from 21 farms in Tunisia (2009 to 2014). This dataset was merged with meteorological data from 5 public stations relative to the 21 farms. The temperature-humidity index (THI), calculated as a combination of ambient temperature and relative humidity, was used to characterize heat stress. When the THI increased from an average value of 53.7 in winter to 75.4 in summer, the Holstein and Tarentaise cows decreased their milk production by 0.93 and 0.15 kg/day, respectively. Milk fat, protein, and urea content decreased similarly in both breeds (−2.20 g/kg, −1.40 g/kg, and −14 mg/L, respectively), and the milk somatic cell count increased for Holstein cows (+352,000/mL) while decreased for Tarentaise cows (−160,000/mL). The second aim of this study was to describe the relationship between the variations of the milk yields between the summer and the winter (Δ milk yields) and some barn characteristics during the hot season. A survey carried out on 19 of the 21 previous farms permitted to conclude that the closed buildings led to a higher decrease in milk yield between the summer and winter than the open buildings (−1.13 vs. −0.27 kg/day). A metallic roof had a more negative impact on Δ milk yields than the other roof types (−1.04 vs. −0.15 kg/day).

In France, numerous Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese value chains have revised their specifications to address environmental protection, particularly at the farm level. In this stage, it is nevertheless impossible to state whether the proposed modifications may ensure the sustainability of environmental protection as no environmental sustainability diagnostic has been conducted. The aim of this study is to construct an assessment method for the Cantal PDO farms.A multi-criteria assessment approach was implemented in the following 5 steps: definition of the framework of the study, determination of the principles and criteria, definition of the indicators, aggregation of all elements of the assessment, and finally, test of the assessment method on farms: Focus groups meetings were organised for the first four steps. The panel discussions were based on data obtained from both the literature and surveys of stakeholders operating in the value chain and within the territory.The obtained assessment method comprises 4 principles characterised by 33 indicators. The most important principle (45%), management of grassland resources, is a key economic and environmental point of the studied farms. It reflects the necessary intensive use of grass by the animals in the PDO farms. Few existing methods addressed this principle that required the design of several new indicators. The second principle, impact of agricultural practices (25%), is often included in environmental sustainability assessment methods The adopted indicators are, thus, drawn from existing methods and adapted to the context of the farms studied. The management of the farm buildings and the landscape principle (18%) is often considered in social sustainability. Its role in environmental sustainability can be explained by its strong link with the image of PDO products. Primarily drawn from the literature, the used indicators have been extended to make the assessment method as objective as possible. Finally, the management of local, energy and water resources principle has the lowest weighting (12%). This can be explained by the limited number of indicators.This assessment method was constructed for the Cantal PDO farms by considering their environment and particularities. In consequence, the stakeholders have taken ownership of it. It could be used by other ruminant systems based on grassland. The development of numerous indicators enhanced the pool of existing indicators. This assessment method was sensitive and allowed for the discrimination between farms. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In many Western countries, milk and dairy products provide both mineral and lipid fractions relevant to our health. The milk contents of these compounds are highly variable, and the identification of husbandry conditions leading to milks favourable for both mineral and lipid fractions is of interest. The aims of this study were to describe throughout the year the changes in bulk milk compounds and to relate them to husbandry practices. Ten compounds with nutritional requirements were selected: a minimum amount is required for Ca, Mg, P, Zn, vitamin A, n-3 fatty acids (FA), oleic acid and n-6 FA, and a maximum amount for trans FA and C12–14-16 FA. Milks and their associated husbandry practices were collected five times during 1 year from 74 groups of farms located in France, Norway, Slovakia and Slovenia. The Ca, Mg, P and Zn contents varied in different ways throughout the year and independently of each other. We showed the absence of milks with the highest contents in these four minerals simultaneously, but we identified groups of farms where milk had high content in Mg or in Zn. Positive links have been confirmed between grass-based-diets and milk n-3 FA content, maize silage-based-diets and n-6 FA content, and diets rich in concentrate and oleic acid content. These results showed that it was possible to identify husbandry conditions leading to milk favourable throughout the year for one or several compounds but not for all compounds considered in this study.

The aims of this work were to elucidate the potential of using milk fatty acid (FA) concentration to predict cow diet composition and altitude of bulk milk collected in 10 different European countries and to authenticate cow-feeding systems and altitude of the production area using a data set of 1,248 bulk cow milk samples and associated farm records. The predictions based on FA for cow diet composition were excellent for the proportions of fresh herbage [coefficient of determination (R2)=0.81], good for hay, total herbage-derived forages, and total preserved forages (R2>0.73), intermediate for corn silage and grass silage (R2>0.62), and poor for concentrates (R2<0.51) in the cow diet. Milk samples were assigned to groups according to feeding system, level of concentrate supplementation, and altitude origin. Milk FA composition successfully authenticated cow-feeding systems dominated by a main forage (>93% of samples correctly classified), but the presence of mixed diets reduced the discrimination. Altitude prediction reliability was intermediate (R2<0.62). Milk FA composition was not able to authenticate concentrate supplementation level in the diet (<58% of samples correctly classified). Similarly, the altitude origin was not successfully authenticated by milk FA composition (<76% of samples correctly classified). The potential of milk FA composition to authenticate cow feeding was confirmed using a data set representative of the diversity of European production conditions.

High ambient temperatures during harvest cause litchi to accumulate heat in the field, which accelerates browning and shortens the sales life of the product. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of hydrocooling at 1, 2, 4, and 6 h post-harvest on the storage life and quality of the litchi cultivar, Feizixiao, by comparing litchi with and without hydrocooling treatment. The observed parameters included variations in temperature during hydrocooling, biochemical properties of the pericarp, and fluctuations in the content of soluble solids and titratable acids in the aril during storage. Hydrocooling for 30 min reduced the temperature of the pericarp by 6.2 ± 0.3 °C. It also delayed the increase in electrolyte leakage and polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activity in the pericarp. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of hydrocooling treatment with a minimum delay after harvest to suppress decay and prolong the storage life of litchi fruit.