MondoBlu as an example of two New Zealanders
An unusual visit to Jérôme Augis's farm, organised by the seed company Florimond-Desprez, its French supplier, and the GDA of Mondepleux (the agricultural management group). Mark Brown and Alistair Moorhead wanted to come to France to benefit from technical cooperation. New Zealand has little knowledge of fodder beet. This fodder used for livestock has only been used there for seven years. France, for its part, particularly in the north of the Loire and the Cher, is the largest producer of fodder beet root in Western Europe. Gilles Duvois, advisor for large crops and fodder at the 41st Chamber of Agriculture and facilitator in the Mondepleux/Droy agricultural area, is the initiator of this local crop: 60 hectares are produced in his sector out of 70 hectares in the department.
If New Zealand is twice the size of France, the farming operations have a completely different dimension. They can reach 3,000 head of cattle. Several members form these farms, while in France they are family companies with a maximum herd of 150 head (on average 40 to 50 cows).
In Loire-et-Cher, ten out of 180 cattle farmers own more than a hundred cows. Due to the different structures, the consumption of fodder beet also varies. The New Zealanders graze their cattle directly in the beet fields around the farms. In France, the land is scattered and the crops need to be stored. It is harvested in October and kept in reserve until April.
” in our country,Mark Brown concludes, There is increasing pressure to respect the environment. The French example can help us think about the solutions that need to be offered.
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