Case study of the market situation of calves from Alpine dairy farms and the effect of dams’ grazing during the last three months of gestation on auction parameters

Abstract

The main aim of the study was to assess the recent evolution of cattle breeding in Alpine areas based on the number, quality and price of calves sold at local auctions in the South Tyrol region over the last decade, as case study. In addition, the effect of grazing during dam’s late gestation on calves’ auction quality was investigated to assess whether the inclusion of pasture in Alpine production system has an impact on auction parameters of calves beside its well-known positive effects on cattle welfare and the environment. Similarly, to other geographical areas, the study revealed that the numbers of crossbred calves (especially from specialised dairy breeds) has increased over the last years also in the Alpine area, because of more targeted breeding plans with an intensive use of beef bulls’ semen. Further, purebred calves from dual-purpose breeds (Simmental, Alpine Grey, Pinzgauer) received a higher remuneration in terms of price and market value at auction than purebred calves from specialised Holstein Friesian and Brown Swiss cows. A part of these animals could be available to support an innovative alpine meat supply chain which, if grass-fed, could further strengthen the current landscape maintenance service provided by the mountain livestock husbandry. Dams grazing during the last 90 days of gestation had a limited negative effect on calves’ liveweight and quality traits at auctions. All these results provide useful technical insights to support the switch from dairy to suckler herd system as future productive alternative for some small-scale mountain cattle farms whose viability is essential for the provision of several ecosystem services in the fragile Alpine environment.

IMPLICATION

The present study offers an overview about the evolution of cattle farming in the Alps over the last decade. Overall, the small-scale holdings operating in the case study area of South Tyrol maintain their dairy orientation, but there is a growing trend to implement crossbreeding schemes to increase the economic value of the offspring not kept for replacement. The local fattening of a part of these calves could support an innovative Alpine beef supply chain. As no relevant effect of the use of pasture by the pregnant dams on calves auction price and market value was observed, such chain, especially if grass-fed based, could further strengthen the landscape maintenance service provided by the mountain livestock husbandry.

HIGHLIGHTS

• An increase of crossbred calves over the years is recognisable in Alpine area

• Dual-purpose and crossbred calves are heavier than dairy ones and leading to higher selling prices at auctions

• Calves market value at auctions remained stable over the last decade

• The percentage of grazing dams was higher in dual-purpose breeds

• Dams grazing over the last part of the gestation had a limited effect on auction parameters of calves

Keywords:

• Mountain farming
• dairy breeds
• crossbreeding
• calf
• market value

Author contributions

Thomas Zanon: Conceptualisation, Investigation, Writing-Reviewing and Editing; Giulio Cozzi: Conceptualisation, Investigation, Writing-Reviewing and Editing, Supervision; Lorenzo Degano: Data curation, Investigation, Visualisation, Software; Pietro Sartor: Investigation, Writing; Gauly: Conceptualisation, Supervision, Reviewing

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank KOVIEH - Consorzio Altoatesino per la Commercializzazione del Bestiame in the person of Martin Tröger for providing the data.

Ethics approval

This study was exclusively based on economic and productive figures which did not require the approval of the Ethical Committee for the Care and Use of Experimental Animals of the Free University of Bolzano.

Disclosure statement

The authors state that they have no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, Dr Thomas Zanon. The data are not publicly available due to privacy/ethical restrictions.

Additional information

Funding

This study is part of the project Comparison of dairy farming systems (CODA). This work was supported by the Open Access Publishing Fund of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano.