Catalogue of Infrastructures and Facilities

A herd of 15 Salers and Armoricaine cows are conducted extensively on this land. The herd is given access to the moorland from early spring to late autumn; the exact dates can vary from one year to the next. This serves as a good example of extensive breeding in large and remote rural areas, with limited physical access and limited access to any kind of communication network.

Facility

Igloos

CIRVEAU has 4 10-spot igloos, which are collective outdoor pens, covered and mobile. A shelter in the form of an igloo is provided to the animals at the back of the pen. The whole is placed on a concrete platform, covered with straw bedding when animals are present.

Facility

Indi'Bat

This facility allows for a more fundamental approach to research work. Individual measurements on zootechnical performances but also on feed intake are possible through the use of weighing feeding troughs and connected drinking troughs. The INDI’BAT also allows testing different ambient conditions and analysing effluents produced. It is divided into 4 bioclimatic rooms with 24 spots, a room with an outdoor courtyard with 24 spots, and a metabolic room. Animals are housed on open-work wood flooring.

Facility

Open'Bat

The structure of the OPEN’BAT has a widely open natural ventilation, and animals are given access to outdoor courtyards that can evolve to access pasture. The floor is modular: litter or wooden open-work floor. Those characteristics allow studies on the feasibility of breeding calves in line with society’s expectations.

Facility

Tosca

This facility is meant to house ewes for lambing and finishing lambs. The building has a central area meant for feeding the animals. On each side there are modular pens with the possibility to isolate ewes for lambing at the back of each pen. Animals are housed on accumulated straw litter.

Facility

Fina

This facility is meant to house ewes for lambing. The building has a central area meant for feeding the animals, and on each side there are modular pens. Animals are housed on accumulated straw litter.

Facility

Max

Facility

Crevette

This facility is meant for finishing lambs housing. The building has a central area meant for feeding the animals, and on each side there are modular pens. Animals are housed on accumulated straw litter.

Facility

Holding Pen

This facility is a 650 m² holding pen that is used for several interventions on the animals, such as shearing, weighing, and health interventions. Animals enter from one side and are parked in a waiting area. Then they can be sorted and directed in different ways to the devices needed for the planned intervention.

Facility

Pasture

Chambre d'Agriculture des Pays de Loire (CAPDL)

Mainly grouped around the building, this facility is composed of 42% of permanent meadow and 58% of temporary meadow. Most of it is grazed by the animals, and a progressive automation of the water troughs is ongoing.

Facility

Barn building