Progress in genetics with Abondance embryos
25 January 2023
Godspeed, SIROCCO!
11 April 2023To mark International Women’s Rights Day in March 2023, in this brochure AURIVA-Elevage gives the floor to two female Abondance breeders: an opportunity to dispel a few preconceived ideas and, above all, to meet some real enthusiasts once again!
MEETING WITH MARIANNE THIAFFEY-RENCOREL,
recently settled on the family farm in SERRAVAL (74) at GAEC LA FERME DES 2 VERSANTS
BREEDING IDENTITY CARD
50 VL Abondances
260,000L of milk /year
On-farm processing into Reblochon cheese
12 Lacaune ewes
UAA: 60 ha (of which 30 in alpine pastures)
Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your background?
My name is Marianne, I’m 23. I joined the GAEC in February 2022. I trained in agriculture at the Lycée Agrotech in Annonay (Bac Pro CGEA), then went on to study for a BTS ACSE at La Motte Servolex. I then passed my CAFTI in 2018 before being hired as an AXIA in the Ain region for 6 months. I then returned to Haute-Savoie and signed a permanent contract with the Eleveurs des Savoie (EDS) cooperative in the Thônes-Faverges-St Pierre en Faucigny area until the end of March 2021. After that, I did a year’s pre-installation training with my parents until I set up in February 2022.
Why did you want to join the family business?
Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve had a passion for farming and livestock breeding. When I set up with my parents, I wanted to diversify the business and modernize it, while respecting animal welfare. We couldn’t increase the number of dairy cows because there wasn’t enough space in the alpine pastures to accommodate them.
So I bought a dozen 2-month-old ewe lambs which gave birth at the beginning of 2023.
I started milking them at the beginning of February. Their milk is currently processed on the farm into tomme and raclette. We have a major building project scheduled for completion by 2025, with a slatted cubicle section for the cows and a straw-bedded area for the dairy ewes. The aim is to increase the number of ewes milked to 50.
What role do you play in the GAEC today? How are tasks divided up?
Today, I’m mainly in charge of making Reblochon and sheep’s milk cheeses from day 1 to day 10, after which my mother Sylvie takes over the maturing process. I also do all the inseminations on the cows. The mating schedule is drawn up in collaboration with Carole Clément, the local inseminator: we use 90% young bulls from the AURIVA range! Finally, I also feed one barn of cows in the morning and evening, while my father Jean-Luc looks after the other. As for my parents, Sylvie manages milking with my father, as well as maturing and shipping the reblochons to a maturer who buys 80% of our production (Pochat et Fils). She also manages the customer portfolio and the company’s accounts. As for my father, he milks morning and evening and handles all the heavy farm work. If he needs it, I’m never far away to give him a hand, like with haymaking for example!
On a day-to-day basis, you are involved in a number of commissions. What motivates you?
In fact, I sit on the EDS Board of Directors, as well as the Crédit Agricole Board and the Jeunes Agriculteurs Board. I love sharing my ideas, and I find it very rewarding to be part of a collective!
Since my installation, I’ve been a trainee on the AURIVA Abondance genetics committee.
As a lifelong fan of genetics, I thought it would be interesting to get involved in this committee to find out how the work was managed upstream. This also makes it possible to represent all the sectors where Abondance is present. Don’t be afraid to come along, even if you’re a woman, because all ideas are welcome and it’s really interesting!
What is your relationship with Carole, the local inseminator?
Carole is an old work colleague of mine, and we've always got on really well! She comes in to do the planning, but also to ultrasound the cows before AI and to monitor their reproduction. We genotype all our heifers with EDS, which we then use for insemination. We talk a lot about cows, but that's not all...she's a lot of fun to work with!
WITH CAROLE CLEMENT,
a 100% feminine tandem
In your opinion, what does the presence of a woman bring to a farm?
I’ve been an inseminator since 2008 and in the Thônes area since April 2009.
In the early years, there were only men as operators and outside contractors. I was an “extraterrestrial”! I had to put up with a lot of comments: “she won’t be strong enough”, “she’ll have children so she’ll always be off work for sick children…etc.”. But as time went by, the breeders gained confidence in me thanks to my acquired know-how, my availability and my frankness. We can’t know everything, but we can look for solutions.
The feminization of the herd management profession has further modernized this vision. I find that women often have a passionate vision of their profession, but also a more economical one.
How does Marianne manage genetics within the herd? What advice do you give him when you visit?
Marianne manages genetics through the varied use of bulls, both genomic and confirmed, thanks to her mating schedule. She highlighted her expectations and objectives for her herd. With genotyping, she can target the most interesting females in the herd more quickly. During my visits, I try to advise and guide her as best I can in her choices.
What are your relationships?
With Marianne, it’s a bit special because we’re former inseminator colleagues, and she was my replacement for 3 years. We have a good relationship, and she doesn’t hesitate to ask me for advice if she needs it, or to tell me if she has questions about something. It’s very pleasant and helps build trust.
MEETING WITH MARION MOUNIER,
with her husband Nicolas, both of whom run the business on a 50/50 basis!
BREEDING IDENTITY CARD
80 VL + 80 heifers Abondances
320,000L of milk for the Danone cooperative
150,000L of milk from alpine pastures for Beaufort cheese
4,500 Label Rouge chickens
UAA 71ha grass + 8 ha maize
Could you first introduce yourself and the GAEC?
Hello, my name is Marion MOUNIER, and I’ve been running a GAEC with my husband Nicolas since January 2013. My husband set up business in October 2002. We are located in the commune of ST SYLVESTRE in the Ardèche department at an altitude of 600 m.
I’m not from a farming background at all; I was a hairdresser before I became a farmer. In 2010, I went back to school for a BPREA adult training course in Tournon sur Rhône.
In 2012, I did my pre-installation internship on the farm with Nicolas and set up in 2013.
When I took over, we were able to double the number of cows from 40 to 80 Abondances. In summer, they are mixed with three other herds, and employees look after the pastures and milking. We still go there 3-4 times in the summer to see if everything’s going well! For the past 6 months, we’ve taken on a part-time employee on the farm to free up some of our time and allow us to let go a little.
What's the day-to-day distribution of roles like? and with external partners?
Most of the work is done by two people – we’re a duo! Milking, fencing, harvesting, haymaking … we do it all together. For the rest, I look after the calves and chickens. I also handle paperwork, orders and accounting.
Nicolas manages cow feeding, mulching, fertilizing and calf sales.
We complement each other very well, and decisions are always made by both of us. As far as possible, appointments are also made together. That’s our strength!
As regards genetics, how and by whom is the herd managed? PAM, scoring etc...
We work out the mating schedule with our inseminator Alain CHALAMET.
Most births are grouped between November and February : we can have up to 20 calvings a month !
The best 25/30 females are sexed and the other 50 are crossbred.
Crossbred calves are sold at 3 weeks to a butcher. We also occasionally produce a few fattened calves a year.
When it comes to mating, I choose the sires rather than Nicolas, as there are ” too ” to choose from in the genetic offer, so he prefers to let me manage !
The scoring visits carried out every other year by the OS technician and Philippe BOULENS, the AURIVA technician, are a good source of technical support for us. We have complete confidence in our technicians, and their opinions are of paramount importance in our selection choices.
All our females are genotyped from birth with XR REPRO, enabling us to sort out our best females and use them for planning purposes.
Both Nicolas and I appreciate working with ” ” breed specialists, as it brings precision to our decisions and allows us to know what to do ! “
Do cows prefer Mr. or Mrs.?
We both have our favorites. Some will more easily come to me for a caress, others will go to Nicolas. They all have their own character, and that’s what makes them unique!
What advice would you give to a young woman wanting to set up her own business?
I’d just say she’s got to go for it! Of course, you have to think about an installation beforehand, but if you have the passion and the desire, you have to go for it.
It’s a nice job.
And then, you learn everything… Before I settled down, I’d never driven a tractor, for example, and today I help Nicolas with haymaking, strawbedding, etc… You can’t be “worse” than a man!
The most important thing is passion for the job.
Do your children share their parents' passion for cows? Would you like to pass on the business?
We now have two grown-up teenagers: Léa 16 and Gabin 15. Léa is currently training as a personal assistant and Gabin is an apprentice butcher. They’re not really interested in breeding – their parents spent far too much time on it!
However, if we need them, they’re always there to give us a hand with the cows!
When it comes to passing on the farm, we’re not really thinking about it yet, as Nicolas has just over ten years left before he retires.
Ideally, we’d like to pass on our passion and know-how to a young person, but only time will tell!
A WORD FROM PHILIPPE BOULENS
Technician Abondance
The GAEC des Acajous is one of the historic Abondance breeders. Since the late 90s, males born on the farm have been used for AI through testing. Over the past 10 years, no fewer than 4 bulls have been confirmed: ARDECHOIS, ENZO, GOMIS and HACAJOU. A very fine grouping which could be perpetuated with NIKOLAOS, whose very first daughters will calve this winter. And just recently, a male entered the station.
Discover the Abondance brochure
