Division Milk production

Breeds:

In order to facilitate checks, the breed type has been specified and the local breeds requirement has been extended to ‘dairy herd’ and ‘to all the dairy cows present on the holding’. The ‘products of crossing the two breeds of certified descent’ are likewise allowed. The two pure breeds and their crossing are historically of local origin. The crossing has no observable impact on the specificity of the product.

Grazing area:

The sentence ‘The herd is managed in accordance with local customs’ has been deleted because it is too general and does not allow for monitoring.

The sentence ‘The areas considered as grazing areas for the production of “Morbier” are those grass areas which permanently have at least 3 different plant species and include at least one type of grass and one type of legume.’ has been added in order to favour natural grassland with the floristic diversity of pasture.

Grassland management and enrichment:

A limit on nitrogenous mineral manure of 50 units per hectare of grazing area per year has been added in order to preserve the grassland’s floristic diversity. To the same end, the authorised types of organic manure have been listed: solid manure, slurry, liquid manure and stabilised sewage sludge. In order to avoid milk quality problems, any use of the forage area (grazing or mowing) is prohibited at least 4 weeks after the date of spreading the organic manure.

Grazing:

In order to maintain the link between the product and its region, grazing has been made compulsory: ‘The dairy cows graze after the snow has melted and as soon as the soils’ bearing capacity allows. In the grazing season, the cows in production use at least 20 acres of grassland per dairy cow.’

The dairy cows’ basic intake:

‘Only sodium chloride is authorised to improve the keeping of fodder.’ in order to avoid changing its characteristics.

Moistening the feed is prohibited in order to avoid the development of undesirable bacteria.

‘In the case of supplementary green feed, the green fodder is distributed in cleaned troughs and consumed within at most 4 hours of mowing.’ in order to avoid fermentation of the green feed. Similarly, ‘When beet is cut into pieces, it is prepared each day.’.

In order to maintain the link between the product and its region: ‘The supply of concentrates in the dairy cows’ intake (including the supply of dried plants) is limited on average for the herd to 1 800 kg per cow per year.’

The ban on fermented feed has been broadened from ‘dairy cows’ to the ‘dairy herd (cows in production, dry cows and replacement animals after weaning)’.

The possibility of feeding another herd, clearly separated, with this type of feed is nevertheless envisaged, subject to certain conditions.

In order to maintain the link between the product and its region, transgenic feed is banned.

In order to avoid a deterioration in the milk’s quality: ‘The following is banned from the dairy herd’s feed: fodder which adversely affects the milk’s smell or taste.’