Browsing by Subject "South Germany"

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Gesamtbetriebliche Analyse von Weidebetrieben und Weidesystemen in der Milchviehhaltung in unterschiedlichen Regionen Süddeutschlands
(2014) Kiefer, Lukas Robert; Bahrs, Enno
Grassland use and particularly pasture milk production is considered a highly sustainable milk production method which renders many ecosystem services for society (such as greater biodiversity, maintenance of rural cultural regions, climate protection due to higher carbon storage capacity of grassland, better animal appropriateness by regular grazing) as opposed to permanent indoor housing with its high portion of concentrate feed. Nevertheless, the share of pasture farming in overall milk production falls behind production by increasing permanent indoor housing in Germany. Therefore, it appears appropriate to analyze the necessary business environment for pasture farming with consideration of selected ecosystem services actually provided and to sketch suitable recommendations for consultation of farmers. Against this background, the research project “Business analysis and optimization of pasture-based farms and pasture systems in dairy farming in different regions of South Germany” was designed. The research project evaluated production technology, labor economics, business success, greenhouse gas emissions and specific ecosystem services of more than 80 specialized pasture milk producers through three economic years (2008/09-2010/11) and was dedicated to analysing economic and ecological competitiveness of pasture milk production at specific locations. As a result the most profitable pasture farms of the sample regarding management income and hourly rate can compete with the most profitable farms that practice permanent indoor housing; thus, they demonstrate potential economic strength of pasture farms at suitable locations. Decisive determinants of economically successful pasture management include organic farming (higher milk prices and financial compensation), high amounts of milk from forage, sufficient milk yield of the individual cow (>6,000 kg), and a great portion of pasture grass in the feed as well as high work efficiency via seasonal calving, all-day grazing and short-lawn pasture. High profitability and low greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved simultaneously through high efficiency of production. Some farms can even make “greenhouse gas avoidance gains” when production costs and proportionate emissions decrease at the same time thanks to reduced feed demand per kg milk. There is still a substantial need for research in the field of greenhouse gas balancing, particularly regarding evaluation of the manifold ecosystem services of pasture milk production. Many pasture-based farms are compensated for the above-mentioned services via the 2nd pillar of Common Agricultural Policy, but such services remain unconsidered in greenhouse gas balancing so far. It is for this reason that pasture-based farms with low productivity as well as organic farms perform poorly compared to more intensive farming with high productivity if they are measured by the established formulas of greenhouse gas balancing. Consideration of ecosystem services in the framework of greenhouse gas balancing would be possible via economic allocation of emissions between milk, meat, and subsidies of the 2nd pillar of Common Agricultural Policy, however. Based on our sample, this approach would result in an approximation of the carbon footprints per kg milk produced by extensive and intensive or organic and conventional farms, respectively. Nevertheless, a fundamental antagonism still persists between high production efficiency, which is desirable from the point of view of climate protection on the one hand and ecosystem services attainable by extensive production on the other hand. Like other milk production systems, profitable pasture milk production associated with lowest possible greenhouse gas emissions requires first of all competent training and consultation of farmers, which meets the requirements of the respective production method. Policy could improve the relevant framework conditions. Successful pasture milk producers are margin optimizers whose economic success depends above all on higher producer prices (organic milk, pasture milk), cost minimizing milk production based on pasture as the cheapest feed for many farms as well as funding of the ecosystem services which are desired by society. Farm growth and increases in milk yield are harder to achieve for pasture milk producers because consolidated areas are missing or more concentrate feed would be necessary. According to the results of the investigated sample, stronger support of the unique image of pasture milk (which does not necessarily mean monetary funding in this context) as well as increased know-how in the field of pasture milk production is desirable in order to establish or develop the numerous very positive approaches of pasture use in grassland regions that were analyzed in our investigation. The latest EU agrarian reform as well as new EAFRD regulations offer some good starting points in this regard.