Innovative and sustainable grazing-based dairy systems integrating cows and young stock (GrazyDaiSy)

The project aims at developing innovative, region-specific grazing management solutions for organic dairy cattle farms of South-Western Germany that (i) increase yields and nutritional quality of forage on pastures as well as feed and protein intake of cows during grazing, (ii) enable co-grazing of animals of different age groups and therefore improve animal health and welfare, and (iii) enhance sustainability and resilience of grazing-based dairy farming. The project is structured in four work packages (WP). During the first project year, semi-quantitative interviews coupled with quantitative spot sampling of the pasture vegetation, diet ingredients, and animal condition and performance on 30 farms in Southwest Germany will serve to understand the interrelationship between farm characteristics, management strategies, and environmental factors and the forage production, productivity, and protein self-sufficiency of different types of dairy farms (WP 1). Based on information from this first phase, innovative grazing strategies will be developed in a participatory approach and tested in controlled grazing experiments on six farms in the second and third year to analyze their effects on productivity and nutritional value of the pasture vegetation as well as the feed intake, behaviour, health, and performance of cows and young stock (WP 2). In WP 3, the contribution of innovative strategies to improve sustainability of dairy farming and production and use of feed protein will be assessed using RISE and LCA techniques, respectively. Results of the project will be disseminated and upscaled during four workshops with relevant stakeholders of the food and farming sector, two workshops with students and farmers, and two field days, and will be published in international scientific journals and local media (WP 4).