Drainage and crop production system on intensive dairy farms in Western France

Abstract

In Western France the mild, humid oceanic climate prevailing in this region is favourable for the growth of grass and there are many dairy farms. The intensification of milk production has led to an increased area of maize and temporary grassland for making silage and a decrease of permanent pastures. However, the intensification is hampered by the frequent waterlogging of many soils. Within the framework of ‘Drainage Programme of Sample Areas’ the effects of drainage on labour organization were studied on dairy farms of ‘l'Orne Saosnoise’ located in the department of Sarthe. The farms are of medium size, about 40 hectares; the soils are wet; labour is provided by the family. Excess water from October till May makes field operations in spring required for more intensive forage production very difficult. The dairy intensification also requires other investments, i.e. in housing, milking parlour and silos, and an increase in the number of cattle Observations were made on farms under a wide range of conditions. Three different farm types were identified. Some conventional farms drained a few hectares without changing the crop production system and the intensification level. The main aim is to get better conditions for early tillage operations. Some farms combined drainage with intensified dairy production. In such a case, drainage allows a new forage production system with a significant increase in the number of days required for field operations. Most of the drained farms carried out drainage after intensification of their dairy unit. In such a case drainage improves the number of days available for operations whereas the number of days required remains almost the same since forage production had already been intensified.