# Bilan de fonctionnement d'une " nurserie grand volume " pour grand troupeau

Jacques Lassalas, Mathieu Guilloux, Yannick Le Cozler

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Jacques Lassalas, Mathieu Guilloux, Yannick Le Cozler. Bilan de fonctionnement d'une " nurserie grand volume " pour grand troupeau. Bâtiments d'élevage de demain : construisons l'avenir, Feb 2017, Lille, France. Institut de l'Elevage, 2017, Recueil des résumés. hal-01606592

HAL Id: hal-01606592

https://hal.science/hal-01606592v1

Submitted on 2 Jun 2020

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Distributed under a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 - Attribution - ShareAlike - International
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Author: Jacques LASSALAS - INRA- France

jacques.lassalas@inra.fr

Co-Authors: Mathieu Guilloux - UMR PEGASE INRA - France

Yannick Le Cozler - UMR PEGASE INRA - France

Managing large herds of dairy cows (150 heads or more) requires the availability of tools adapted to the animals from birth. When births coincide in a limited period (autumn or spring for example), it means having a large number of nursery places available during a short time. Under the UMR PEGASE experimental livestock breeding programme in Rennes, 180 calvings take place from September to January, in order to have batches of animals at the same physiological stage (calves, heifers and cows) allowing experiments on large sized batches. In order effectively to raise 70 to 80 females/year and optimize working conditions, since 2010 the farm has had a "large volume" nursery that can accommodate 60 animals at the same time aged on average between 14 and 84 days old. Two sets of stalls, similar in size, are separated by a broad central corridor (experimental measurement area) where the experimental monitoring equipment (weighing scale, individual restraint stall..) is arranged. The sleeping area is 3 m2/heifer and the volume of air space per animal is 41 m3. This building is also very bright, thanks to the provision of translucent skylights, but also, and above all, its being open on 3 sides, fitted only with net windbreaks. The animals are housed on deep litter, with fresh straw and hay each week, in a raised central corridor, above the experimental measurement area. The calves are fed via an automatic milk dispenser (AMD) and receive a full ration of silage maize, concentrates and alfalfa at will, upon entering the building. The batches are dynamic in that every week there is an input and an output of calves in the stalls. The studies conducted during the phases of development and experimentation (before 2013) show that dynamic operation allows easy learning of the AMD by newcomers (social facilitation). Finally, the results for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 birth seasons show that of a total of 170 calves raised, the mortality rate at 15 days to 84 days is less than 1%, for an average weight upon weaning of 106 kg (+/-12.9), that is, an average daily gain of about 780 g. In addition, lung and health problems, which were previously rather prevalent, have virtually disappeared. Besides the technical and health outcomes obtained that are compatible with the goal of breeding at 15 months (calving 24 months), this strategy made possible by group calving and the implementation of this "large volume" nursery, offers the chance to perform annual cleaning and effective disinfection, followed by at least a 4-month cleanout. We can conclude that the rearing of calves in a large volume nursery equipped with net windbreaks on 3 sides is possible. Local adaptations, particularly in respect of climatic conditions, are perhaps needed, but this may prove interesting and relevant as part of changing the use of an existing building (e.g. storage). It thus allows limiting the investment costs and having a nursery in which to raise future dairy cows efficiently.
J. LASSALAS(1), M.GUILLOUX(1), Y. LE COZLER(1)

(1) UMB 1348 Physiologie, Environnement et Génétique pour l'Animal et les Systèmes d'Elevage (PEGASE) Méjusseaume, 35 650 Le Rheu cedex, France (contact : jacques.lassalas@inra.fr)

**Contexte** : 180 vêlages groupés (septembre-janvier) / une main d'œuvre limitante / un bâtiment à utilisation modulable / intégrer des contraintes ergonomiques et d'expérimentation

**Hypothèse** : Bâtiment grand volume permet d'accueillir un grand nombre de génisses / modularité accrue / un fonctionnement en groupe dynamique de veaux nourris au DAL simplifie les conditions d'élevages, sans altérer les performances (sanitaires, croissance...)

**Question** : Quelles sont les performances des animaux élevés en groupe dynamique dans une nurserie grand volume ?

## Équipement / Matériel & Méthodes

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Deux aires / 3m² / animal
Maximum lumière
Cases modulables

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Couloir de pesée
DAL + Ration
complète dès 14
jours d'âge

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Mezzanine
Paillage facile sans poussière
Stockage paille et fourrage à la semaine
Puits de lumière

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**Résultats** : 3 campagnes (2013 à 2016), 170 veaux

- Taux de mortalité de 15 à 84 jours : < 1%

- PV au sevrage (77 - 84 j) : 106 kg (± 13), i.e., 780 g/j de GMQ

- Très peu (pas) de problèmes pulmonaire et sanitaire

## Discussion / Conclusion

**Outil et stratégie compatibles avec objectif de 1er vêlage à 24 mois**

**Résultats validés dans des conditions climatiques océaniques (de - 8 à + 24°C)**

**Nettoyage, vide sanitaire et désinfection annuels**

**Solution envisageable pour modifier l'utilisation de bâtiment existant (stockage par ex)**

Remerciements : INRA, Département Ille et Vilaine, Région Bretagne, Europe (dans le cadre des CPER 2008 / 2015)