Offered Papers Theme C: Delivering the Benefits from Grassland
Description
Under grazing, gastro-intestinal parasite management remains a major problem in ruminant production systems, more especially in systems respecting organic farming rules following their obligations (1) to perform grazing as soon as pedo-climatic conditions are adapted and (2) to use anti-parasitic products only in a curative way. Surprisingly, this problem has not been highlighted by the different stakeholders in the food chain from cattle meat production to consumption. This could arise from the lack of a clear and pertinent norm or infestation threshold that would allow differentiation between preventive and curative treatments. Such a norm would indicate to the breeder whether he was permitted to treat his herd or not. The question is how to involve the stakeholders in a participative research process in order to develop a decision support system (DSS) adapted to their needs, when there is, initially, no clear demand for such a system. We present the steps followed to develop such a DSS: (1) stakeholder sensitisation to the question, (2) data recording with farmers and developing the DSS principle, (3) data processing and DSS calibration and validation.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Management of Gastro-Intestinal Parasite Pressure, Under Grazing in Organic Farms: Development of a Decision Support System Through the Mobilisation of a Participative Research Process
Under grazing, gastro-intestinal parasite management remains a major problem in ruminant production systems, more especially in systems respecting organic farming rules following their obligations (1) to perform grazing as soon as pedo-climatic conditions are adapted and (2) to use anti-parasitic products only in a curative way. Surprisingly, this problem has not been highlighted by the different stakeholders in the food chain from cattle meat production to consumption. This could arise from the lack of a clear and pertinent norm or infestation threshold that would allow differentiation between preventive and curative treatments. Such a norm would indicate to the breeder whether he was permitted to treat his herd or not. The question is how to involve the stakeholders in a participative research process in order to develop a decision support system (DSS) adapted to their needs, when there is, initially, no clear demand for such a system. We present the steps followed to develop such a DSS: (1) stakeholder sensitisation to the question, (2) data recording with farmers and developing the DSS principle, (3) data processing and DSS calibration and validation.
