Comparison of two different dairy cow types in an organic, low input milk production system under Alpine conditions

Summary

The core task of sustainable milk production is the conversion of forage into milk, dairy products and, as a by-product, into meat. In Europe and North America, for decades dairy cows were selected for a high genetic merit for milk production under high input farming conditions. It is therefore questionable whether these "high input genotypes" are suitable for forage-based, organic farming systems. The objective of this study was to compare two cow types concerning their suitability for an Alpine organic, low input dairy production system. The cow types used were conventional Brown Swiss (BS) on the one hand and a specific strain of Holstein Friesian (HFL), selected for lifetime performance, on the other. Both cow types were managed within one herd in an organic, pasture-based system with seasonal calving. Data from 89 lactations showed that BS animals were heavier and superior in milk production. HFL cows lost less body weight during lactation and showed a higher reproductive performance, which may indicate a greater suitability for low-input dairy production systems.