Grazing, once-a-day milking, and nurse cow rearing in organic dairy farming

Gérard Grandin operates a 58-hectare organic dairy farm using a 100% grass-based system with 1.4 LU/ha stocking rate and 4,000 L/cow milk yield. Milking occurs once daily, paused for two winter months, with calves reared by nurse cows. No concentrates are fed, reducing costs and enabling certified hay milk production. Cross-breeding with Jersey and Angus bulls enhances resilience. Cows are rotated daily, heifers every three to four days, supporting biodiversity, soil health, and carbon sequestration. Calving is compacted in March–April, with autumn culling. The system prioritises working time and long-term sustainability over production targets.