Publications by authors named "F Lessire"

Manure nitrogen (N) from cattle contributes to nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions and nitrate leaching. Measurement of manure N outputs on dairy farms is laborious, expensive, and impractical at large scales; therefore, models are needed to predict N excreted in urine and feces. Building robust prediction models requires extensive data from animals under different management systems worldwide.

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In dairy farms automatic milking systems and grazing, traffic to the robot is the cornerstone of profitability as higher milking frequency enhances milk yield. In this study, we investigated whether shortening the minimum milking interval (MMI), i.e.

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Article Synopsis
  • Over 25% of dairy farms globally use automatic milking systems (AMS), prompting research on integrating AMS with grazing practices due to benefits for animal welfare and production costs.
  • A meta-analysis of 43 studies revealed that pasture-based AMS often leads to lower milking frequency (MF) and subsequently lower milk yield (MY), particularly in systems where grazed grass is a primary diet component.
  • Management strategies that maintain higher MF and MY involve supplementing cow diets with concentrates or mixed rations, which vary based on geographic and climatic conditions.
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Increased economic, societal and environmental challenges facing agriculture are leading to a greater focus on effective way to combine grazing and automatic milking systems (AMS). One of the fundamental aspects of robotic milking is cows' traffic to the AMS. Numerous studies have identified feed provided, either as fresh grass or concentrate supplement, as the main incentive for cows to return to the robot.

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Climate change has the potential to impair livestock health, with consequences for animal welfare, productivity, greenhouse gas emissions, and human livelihoods and health. Modelling has an important role in assessing the impacts of climate change on livestock systems and the efficacy of potential adaptation strategies, to support decision making for more efficient, resilient and sustainable production. However, a coherent set of challenges and research priorities for modelling livestock health and pathogens under climate change has not previously been available.

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