International Grassland Day inspires pilot farmers
The software to calculate the cost of machineries was developed at the CRA-W (http://mecacost.cra.wallonie.be)
Many DAIRYMAN staff members were involved in the organization of the International Grassland Day. Virginie Decruyenaere from the Walloon team presented the opportunities offered by infra-red analysis technology to predict forage quality. Her colleague Didier Stilmant focused on the different losses that occur during the forage harvest and conservation processes. Jeff Boonen from Luxembourg, assisted by his team members Claude Felten, Marita Hoffmann, Henri Kohnen and Michel Santer, illustrated the impact of the cutting height on the grass regrowth process, productivity and quality.
Also the DAIRYMAN project was presented. The visit of the pilot farmers resulted in interesting and sometimes intense discussions. The topics also gave them inspiration for their own farm development plans. The pilot farmers were very happy about the visit. At the end of the day one of them enthusiastically concluded “What’s next in DAIRYMAN?”
The 4th International Grassland Day took place on July 27 in Bras Haut in the county of Libramont (Belgian Ardenne). The event is the result of a collaboration between Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. Each year the day is alternatively hosted by one of the partner countries. This year, the International Grassland Day coincided with the 3rd Grass Day organized in the context of the International Agricultural Fair of Libramont.
Visitors could benefit from the demonstrations of all the machines needed to harvest grass, organized by the fair, and of the presentation of eight themes related to different aspects of forage harvesting and storing, developed in the context of the International Grassland Day. Appr. 6000 people visited the Grass Day of which about 500 visited the themes of the International Grassland Day. Representatives of regional and national governments received a special tour along the eight themes and the DAIRYMAN project.
In 2011 the 5th International Grassland Day will be hosted by Luxembourg.
More information with Lucie Lejeune (CRA-W) l.lejeune@remove-this.cra.wallonie.be
