Meat, milk and genetics: the winning combination at GAEC BARAUDERIE

GAEC BARAUDERIE is Laurent, Etienne and Joachim MICHAUD, three brothers associated on a 370 ha farm at Saint Maurice Étusson in the Deux-Sèvres département (79).

The three brothers raise 140 Blonde d’Aquitaine dams and 100 Holstein cows. Notably users of “Facilités de Naissance” sires, the three brothers have a well-calibrated breeding strategy and have been working with the AURIVA team for many years to accentuate the genetic progress of their Blondes. VA4 breeders, involved in the scheme via testing, TE partners, breeders of the promising ROD bull… the work of Blonde d’Aquitaine genetics has totally won over GAEC Barauderie. Etienne Michaud, whom we met, presents the farm and the Blonde d’Aquitaine workshop.

GAEC BARAUDERIE

140 Blonde d’Aquitaine & 100 Holstein dams
4.5 UTH (3 brothers, 1 employee and 1 apprentice)
OS membership and VA4 performance check
370 ha of UAA (110 ha seed cereals, 60 ha silage maize, 10 ha sorghum, 10 ha other crops and the rest grassland (natural and permanent)
Production of grazers, fattening of cull cows and sale of breeding stock
Label rouge Blonde d’Aquitaine with the Terrena cooperative and local sales

Genetic evolution of the herd : ROD the latest nugget from GAEC BARAUDERIE

In 1996, Laurent took over the family business, and was gradually joined by his two other brothers. At the time, the farm had 80-90 dairy cows, until they decided to take over a neighboring farm with 30 Blonde d’Aquitaine dams. With the initial aim of only using suckler cows for grassland production, the 3 brothers became involved in the selection process. Indeed, as the neighboring breeder selling his herd was a member of the Blonde OS, Laurent, Etienne and Joachim decided to continue, thus fully committing themselves to the world of genetics and the Blonde d’Aquitaine.

They went on to produce their first AURIVA male in 2007: UMAURY (ROBINSON/FLOP). The breeders are also breeders of ROD (JABU / FAUCON), currently offered in the “avant-première” segment. ROD is a son of INTERLUDE (FAUCON / VICTOR), a cow that stands out in the herd for her mixed-meat format and very good indexes (112 IFNAIS, 114 ALait and 119 IVMAT). ROD, a promising genomic bull, is also convincing thanks to his many qualities : “ROD was a very handsome calf that outshone the lot recruited, combining an original pedigree with a solid accumulation of maternal qualities,” explains Etienne.

The breeders have also produced several INTERLUDE embryos with the TE AURIVA team, taking advantage of the dual suckler/dairy unit to place their embryos on dairy cows. Etienne explains: “I like the idea of producing or buying embryos, because what we earn is reinvested in the herd’s genetics. For me, genetics is an investment.

Birth ease and calving ability: the key to simplification

Breeders choose their bulls according to several criteria. The first two, mentioned by Etienne, are birthing ease and calving aptitude. Breeders have worked hard to improve reproduction, as the figures show: age at^1st calving is 31 months compared with 36 months for the breed average, and LPI is 375 days compared with 403 days for the breed average.

At GAEC Barauderie, the aim is not to have to help with calving:

"At the time, we tended to use big bulls to get big cows, but the problem was that they had to be calved and we lost calves. So we moved towards simpler work. Let's just say that we'd like males with good meat and females with breeding type to calve well; we may soon be using sexed semen!"

Etienne MICHAUD

They calve in summer and spring, with a relatively short insemination period. ” We always start by inseminating cows with directed matings with our AURIVA technician Pierre ETCHECOPAR, i.e. around ten matings per year, then the other females that come into heat during the insemination period. Females that don’t take then go to the rental sire AURIVA “.

Breeders have been leasing an AURIVA bull for 6-7 years. ” This year we have SALVADOR (LEFIN/ VERMEIL) and last year we had OKIKAZU (FUXEEN/FANION),” says Etienne.

The three brothers keep a close watch on heat:

” We visit 4 times a day, but the farm is spread over 5 sites, including 2 sites for the Blondes. We’re planning to build a joint dairy/breeder building for inseminating heifers. This shared building will simplify heat monitoring “.

Selection strategy: genetic originality, docility and testing

Breeders also look at the docility and originality of the pedigree to make their matings: ” That’s why we use testing, to bring in interesting origins and, for docility, to quickly see if the bull is producing daughters with a good temperament. We carry out 8 test AIs a year, and we were also doing some with dairy cattle, so we were already used to doing them. “