Grazing practices, perception and expectations of Walloon dairy farmers

The role of grasslands as a C sink is generally accepted. It is considered that permanent grasslands allow annual C storage rates between 22 and 44 g C/m2/y (Soussana et al., 2010) thereby contributing to the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Grassland preservation has several other advantages including a decrease in feeding costs (Dillon et al., 2005), a positive effect on cows’ health (e.g.a decrease in lameness) (Burow et al., 2011) and the provision of a positive image to consumers. Despite these arguments, grazing is decreasing in Europe and grasslands are disappearing. A better understanding of grazing practices and of farmers’ expectations could suggest ways of improving these practices and limiting grassland disappearance. As a result, Walloon dairy farmers were surveyed in December 2015 and the preliminary results are presented below.