In 1983, when INRA asked Meuret to present his dissertation in agronomics, he arrived in Avignon “dressed to the nines”. INRA was interested in his scientific approach and asked him to do his thesis with them. He accepted, and found that his INRA experience suited his natural curiosity and abundance of energy perfectly. “I was lucky to arrive in a team that had just been formed. There was no established routine, and we discovered everything for the first time together. We faced a ‘real world’ challenge with an exciting topic: the contribution of animal husbandry in the prevention of forest fires in Mediterranean forestland.” Was clearing done by herds feasible and effective? What nutritional value did the brushwood have? Would it produce high-quality lambs and cheese? The team’s results were used to create new operational methods. Two major drawbacks were noted, however: the lack of livestock farmers, particularly those prepared to work in such forests, and forest managers who sometimes put livestock and machines in the same category.
Livestock farmers and natural pastures gain status
In the 1970s and 1980s, livestock farmers who had their herds grazing rough rangeland grass, heath and undergrowth were considered a marginal group because they worked in areas that were at that time described as difficult and which supposedly put those farmers at a disadvantage. Today, it’s the other way round. “The prevailing industrial model fell apart because it went too far. The livestock farmers grazing their animals on rangelands went from being ignored by agricultural and livestock advisory organisations to representing a model to be followed. These farmers opt for a less costly method and have good margins owing to their well-designed techniques, as well as products that are often very healthy and top-quality.” What is more, “since the turning point in 1992, with the overhaul of the Common Agricultural Policy, the Biodiversity Convention in Rio and the introduction of the directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora in the EU, these farmers are considered first-choice representatives in their line of work,” explains Meuret.
Since then, motivated by the meeting of two worlds, livestock farming and environmental protection, Meuret continues to study husbandry practices on the range and what are referred to as “complex environments”. “It’s not the sound of the cicadas or the wind in the trees that I love,” he says. “It’s the daring and open-mindedness of farmers who take the risk of using a type of pasture that is not mentioned in any technical reference material.” According to Meuret, they have “the mentality of a scientist: they use trial and error, exchange ideas and are ready to share them with you.” The respect Meuret has for these farmers led him to honour them in a fascinating documentary entitled “Les raisons de garder les chèvres” (Why we herd goats). The INRA-produced film was hailed by critics as an innovative initiative and an approach that is both down-to-earth and philosophical.
Plant diversity whets ruminants’ appetite
The study of “feeding motivation at pasture”, the focus of Meuret’s research since 1996, has led to several surprising discoveries. In measuring the quantity of feed ingested by herds, Meuret realised that they were eating double the amount estimated in INRA nutritional models. What could have stimulated their appetite to such an extent? “Goats, sheep and cows design ‘meals’ for themselves by incorporating different plants into their diet, and not just in any order, either! They strategically organise their food choices, whether it's over an entire day or for one meal. In order to have the time required to make their choices in various environments, they sometimes eat faster with bigger mouthfuls, including tree leaves and tufts of grass.” It is precisely this voracious appetite that could be used to clear the woods, or even form the basis of a new vision for animal nutrition research.
The herd's point of view: a necessary concept in research
According to Meuret’s team, feeding motivation is a promising research avenue, even if it challenges many established principles. “At the conferences where we speak, when we propose emphasising ‘the consumer’s point of view’, that is, the herd’s point of view, rather than the nutritional composition of plants, for the evaluation of pasture, both farmers and technicians tell us it’s a huge cultural shock!” Meuret proposes developing an “eco-animal husbandry approach”, “where the living and breathing, responsive side of livestock animals is taken into account and where they won’t be viewed as machines.” He recalls what French agronomist André Voisin wrote in 1957 in his book entitled Grass Productivity: “The cow is a gourmet.”
A researcher full of ideas and eager to share them
Now, Meuret is beginning work on a new topic: the “herd education” practices designed to make herds competitive in complex, diverse environments. As with his earlier research, this will require working outside with farmers and natural environment managers. This is a satisfying thought for Meuret, both scientifically and personally: “Shepherding a flock up in the mountains is great for relaxing. And I love it when a shepherd asks me to tend his flock for a while!” The research will also require a team for exchanging ideas and information: “I’m lucky to be on a team with scientists specialising in agronomy, ecology and the social sciences. You don’t always see eye to eye, as you would if you worked in the same area, but it's a real pleasure to have different perspectives, depending on our disciplines, on shared experiences.” As always, Meuret plans to communicate the results of his research to the scientific and lay communities. As a researcher, he considers himself a conveyor of ideas to the public and lives up to it. This is a precious freedom, on which he concludes, “I can tell whomever I like about the results of my research. In France, we have the invaluable advantage of being able to maintain an exceptionally high level of public research.”
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