[en] Description of the subject. Many decision support tools (DSTs) have been developed to help dairy farmers optimally manage the high variability in the quality and availability of grass-based fodder, but their adoption rate remains low. Objectives. The objective was to characterize and understand the adoption rate of DSTs related to using grass-based fodder. Methodology. A sample of 61 Walloon (Belgium) dairy farmers responded to an online survey concerning their current use of 23 DSTs related to using grass-based fodder either directly (pasture or grassland) or indirectly (feeding or techno-economic), as well as barriers to and incentives for adopting them, their current interest in DSTs, and satisfaction with the guidance on using these DSTs. Results. Pasture management DSTs were used the least, even though farmers were the most interested in them. Farmers used simple indicators rather than software or automated tools. Farmers indicated that DSTs were too expensive and time consuming, even if they could ultimately save them time and money. Continuing education is lacking. Four types of users were identified who influence the use of DSTs: high user no grazing (H-NG), high user traditional or technical grazing (H-T/TG), low user traditional grazing (L-TG), and moderate user organic (M-ORG). Conclusions. Communicating with end-users during each step of DST development would help (1) identify the specific needs of a diverse set of dairy farmers and (2) develop DSTs that better correspond to their practices. More long-term guidance is required to inform farmers about existing DSTs and to transfer the knowledge required to use them.
Disciplines :
Animal production & animal husbandry
Author, co-author :
Battheu-Noirfalise, Caroline ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre ; Department Sustainability, Systems and Prospectives, Walloon Agricultural Research Centre, Libramont, Belgium
Froidmont, Éric; Department Sustainability, Systems and Prospectives, Walloon Agricultural Research Centre, Libramont, Belgium
Mathot, Michaël; Department Sustainability, Systems and Prospectives, Walloon Agricultural Research Centre, Libramont, Belgium
Stilmant, Didier; Department Sustainability, Systems and Prospectives, Walloon Agricultural Research Centre, Libramont, Belgium
Language :
French
Title :
Outils d’aide à la décision pour la gestion des fourrages herbagers dans les exploitations laitières wallonnes: adoption et perspectives
Publication date :
2022
Journal title :
Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement
ISSN :
1370-6233
eISSN :
1780-4507
Publisher :
University of Liege Faculty of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech
Volume :
26
Issue :
Special Issue
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Name of the research project :
EFFORT
Funders :
Fonds Moerman CRA-W
Funding text :
EFFORT, financed by the Walloon Agricultural Research Center (CRA-W) within the framework of the law of defiscalisation of research institutions (known as the Moerman Law). The authors are very grateful to the 61 farmers who spent their precious time to answer the survey and to Nina Lachia (AgroTIC) who kindly transferred us a survey on digital tools from which some of our questions are derived.
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