Crossbreeding Dairy Cattle for Pasture-Based Efficiency

Pixérécourt farm crossbreeds five dairy breeds—Prim’Holstein, Montbéliarde, Normande, Jersey, and Scandinavian Red—to develop smaller, pasture-adapted dairy cows. Launched in 2009, the program enhances grazing efficiency, reduces concentrate feeding, and boosts milk yield per kilogram of live weight. The farm spans 280 hectares with a stocking rate of 1.17 LU/ha, achieving an average of 5,300 liters of milk per cow annually. The strategy improves economic returns and supports a sustainable, grass-based dairy system through heterosis and targeted trait selection.