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Octobre 2015www.holsteinquebec.com

Holstein breeding in Switzerland Different, but every bit as fascinating

Ferme SwisskessImproving the genetics of the entire herd

Heinz Kessler is proud of the herd he hasmanaged to develop by sticking to hisapproach and avoiding the purchase ofanimals off the farm. Today, the Swisskessherd has 200 head, with 95 cows producingan annual average of 10 287 kg of milk, with4.01% fat and 3.26% protein (233-252-238). Thecows that are classified include 7 multiple EX,6 EX, 42 VG and 36 GP.

A number of them are brood cows. The firstto be mentioned by Heinz Kessler and his sonAnthony is Swisskess WT Anette, VG-87 1*,the herd’s first embryo donor. She is at thehead of a good breeding family and has ninedaughters, all classified GP or better,including Swisskess Outside Arielle, GP-823* and Swisskess Outside Adora, VG-87 4*.Arielle is the dam of two daughters classifiedEX, Swisskess Primetime Abigail, EX-91 3E,herself dam to three EX daughters, andSwisskess Copper Ema, EX-91 2E 3*, dam toone EX daughter. Adora has given birth tonine daughters, five of which are classifiedVG.

The Swisskess herd has also been able tocount on Swisskess Storm Trixi, EX 6*, thefirst cow bearing the Swisskess prefix toclassify EX. Trixi is the dam of 16 daughters,including three EX and ten VG. The groupincludes Swisskess Dundy Tyra, EX-91 3E,first Mature Cow in Bedford, in 2013, andSwisskess Progress Jackie, EX 2E 3*. Jackieis the dam of Swisskess Goldwyn Just Right,EX-91 2E, representing the family’s thirdgeneration of EX cows. Just Right hasproduced four daughters, including twoyoung cows classified VG, one at two yearsand the other at three. Just Right is a modelcow in the eyes of the Kessler family: a goodshow animal, third Senior Three-Year-Old inBedford, in 2011; a good dairy cow, producing

over 48 000 kg of milk in three lactations (238-270-239); and a prolific embryo producer,drawing buyers to the farm.

The Kesslers are also proud of SwisskessGeneral Sonya, VG-87-3yr 2*. Sired by ayoung bull and born in 1996, Sonya produced107 736 kg of milk in nine lactations. She is thedam of three VG daughters and one EX, thelatter being Swisskess Roy Sonne, EX-91 2E,a cow the Kessler family is currently using todevelop the herd. One of her granddaughters,Swisskess Goldwyn Sunshine, EX-93, co-owned with Ferme L. Campbell et fils(Camphois), won Reserve Grand Champion inBedford, in both 2011 and 2013, andHonourable Mention at the Brome Fair, in2011. She is first cow of the herd to take partin shows at the provincial level.

Swisskess Outside Stara, EX-93 4E 2*, secondMature Cow in Bedford, in 2010, is anotherexample of the ideal cow in the eyes of Heinzand Anthony Kessler. As proof, they point toher milk production, which exceeded 80 000kg in six lactations, her component levels,3.7% fat and 3.1% protein, and her capacity topass those qualities down to her offspring.Stara is the dam of four daughters, three VGand one EX, Swisskess Gold Lead Alice, EX-92, a cow that has earned a SuperiorLactation.

Finally, father and son are also pleased tohave raised Swisskess Rudolph Maya, VG-

Swisskess FarmFocused on improving the genetics of the entire herd

Raising dairy cattle is an art,” explains Heinz Kessler with conviction. “It’s more than just breeding animals.” It is thatbelief that has inspired the owner of the Swisskess farm, in Clarenceville, in the Montérégie area, to go beyonddeveloping a single good cow family and instead focus on improving the herd as a whole. That philosophy is shared byhis son Anthony, now a shareholder in the farm and in charge of herd management.

By Michel Dostie

Editor

Translation byNicole De Rouin

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The owners of the Swisskessfarm: Heinz Kessler, his wife,Kathy, and their son Anthony.

3yr. Now in her 15th lactation, Maya is achampion milk producer, boasting a lifetimeproduction to date of 170 032 kg, with 3.4% fatand 3.3% protein. She is also the dam ofseven daughters, all classified GP or better.

Although the owners of the Swisskess herdprefer to focus on developing their ownanimals, they have made the occasionalpurchase off the farm. In 2010, they acquiredBoalcrest Goldwyn Jayde, a heifer that wasthen barely six months old. Now classifiedEX-92 2E, Jayde won second Senior Three-Year-Old in Bedford, in 2013, and is apromising prospect for the herd.

Reliable genetic improvement

In developing his herd, Heinz Kessler hasalways given priority to proven sires and hasalways chosen among the best availablesires for all his cows, regardless of the costof the semen. “$40 more for a dose of semenrepresents a fraction of the cost of raising aheifer to the age of two,” he explains. “It’s amindset that has made a tremendousdifference for our herd, which is nowextremely uniform.” Accordingly, breedingdecisions focus mainly on conformation,which he feels is more important thanproduction because feeding has a big impacton milk production. He especially favoursgood quality legs and feet, as well as goodbalance, since the cows are housed in free-stalls and must be able to move around easily,especially to get to the feed bunk. TheKesslers also attach a great deal of

importance to longevity and, in that sense,say they are not inclined to rush their heifersto first calf. This is why many of their youngcows only classify GP at first calf but laterclassify EX. Even now, about 70 per cent ofthe sires used on the farm are proven bulls,which is why, explains Anthony, there arenever any holes in their pedigrees.

The Kesslers have been using embryotransfers since 2005 in order to make use ofthe herd’s top proven cows. They explain thatgenetic improvement may be slower with thatapproach, but the results are much morereliable.

Genomics also influences the breeders’selection process, but the young bulls theychoose must come from good families,especially in terms of conformation. HeinzKessler says that although genomics has ledhim to deviate somewhat from his breedingphilosophy, he considers it a useful tool foridentifying the best animals in a family. As forAnthony, it was his interest in genomics thatprompted him to take part in a grouppurchase, in 2013, to acquire CleroliSnowman Caramilk, a cow that gave herowners three embryo flushes before she wassold in 2014. One of her daughters, DPR MardiGras Aero, obtained the top selling price atHolstein Québec’s National Sale, in April 2015.

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From Switzerland to Quebec

In 1979, Werner Kessler and his wife,Paula, sold their herd of 30 Brown Swissand 10 Holstein animals and moved fromSwitzerland to Quebec with their family.Their son Heinz was 18 at the time. Theysettled in Clarenceville, buying theHolstein Venacre herd, which was thencomposed of 75 per cent purebredanimals and 25 per cent NIP cows.Since Werner Kessler was mainlyinterested in dairy production, hestopped registering and classifying hisanimals but remained committed to milkrecording.

In 1988, Heinz, who was working on hisparents’ farm, took charge of the herdand returned to the idea of focusing onHolsteins. He used the NIP system withthe cows rather than buying animalsthat were already registered. In hisview, with DHI, classification, and aknowledge of genetics and pedigrees,the quality of the herd is the real rewardfor the work accomplished. Moreover,“you get to work with good-lookingcows,” he adds. His dream then was tobreed a cow that would be the first ofthe herd to classify EX. In 1995, hepurchased 60 per cent of the farm’sshares.

In 2012, after the parents retired – whichdidn’t stop Werner from going to thebarn every day – Heinz kept his 60-per-cent share, while his wife, Kathy, andtheir son Anthony, who graduated fromMacdonald College with a diploma inFarm Management, each acquired a 20-per-cent share. Although they work asa team: father, son and an employeetake part in all aspects of the farm work,it is Heinz who sees to managing thefields and maintaining the farmequipment. Anthony is in charge of herdmanagement and Kathy takes care ofthe bookkeeping and administrativetasks.

Over the summer of 2015, the barn wasdismantled to make room for a new building.During the construction period, the cows werehoused in machine shed fitted out as deep-litter free-stall barn. Anthony is in charge offeeding the herd.

Heinz Kessler handed over responsibility for theherd to his son Anthony so he could devote hisattention to the fields and to maintaining the

farm machinery. He is also the family’shandyman and inventor, says Anthony, which

leads to some substantial savings.

Scope for the show circuit

In Switzerland, the Kessler family had noexperience with livestock shows, since therewere none in their region. In Quebec,however, the children of Heinz and his wife,Kathy, were influenced by their neighboursand their feed mill, who made room for themin their exhibit, that involvement sparked theidea of taking part in shows. In 1996, in theirfirst experience with the young farmers’organization, the four children presented fiveheifers, which all placed last. “We can onlydo better next time,” their father assuredthem. A few years later, when one of the goodbreeders in the area pulled out of the show,the Kessler family decided to take part withnine animals. It was then that their interest indairy shows really took off. For the past fiveyears, the Swisskess herd has also beentaking part in provincial shows, with at leastone animal.

All five of the couple’s children took aninterest in shows, and four of them areinterested in agriculture. Anthony is now ashareholder in the farm, and his brother Alexowns his own herd (Wowcow prefix). Theirsisters Sonya and Claudia are both enrolledat Macdonald College. In 2014, Claudia tookpart in the Holstein Québec Breeding School,winning the showing championship andplacing third overall. Heinz and Kathy’s otherdaughter, Yvonne, is a teacher.

While the Kesslers continue to take aninterest in shows, they limit themselves to thelocal shows in Bedford and Havelock. Theysee shows as a sport, or a pastime, but sincethe elder Kessler is somewhat competitive, ashe is in sports, his drive motivates them all,

influencing their genetic selections as muchas the way they feed their animals. That leadsto additional costs, explain both father andson, but the extra attention given to theanimals makes it worthwhile. And theirdetermination has been well rewarded, as thefamily won the Breeder Banner, in Bedford, in2012, 2013 and 2014, in addition to theExhibitor Banner in 2014. Like all breeders,they hope to one day earn a Master Breedershield. They would also like to see aSwisskess animal capture the title of GrandChampion at the Royal, in Toronto, but theyhave no intention of deviating from theirbreeding strategy to achieve that dream.

Likewise, Anthony Kessler, who is presidentof the St-Jean Holstein Club, also likes todevote some of his energy to bringing theobjectives of the show world closer to thoseof dairy farming. He hopes to one day hear ajudge justify a first place selection by sayingthat the cow was chosen because she wasthe right size.

Comfortable animals

Over the past summer, the family’s free-stallbarn was dismantled to make room for a newfree-stall structure equipped with a deep littersystem. Heinz Kessler came across theconcept, which aims for better cow comfortand longevity, in Hoard’s Dairyman magazine.He and his son Anthony visited differentfacilities that use the system and concludedthat it would be worthwhile to build a similarinstallation for their herd. The bedding,usually wood shavings, is added as needed

and mixed with the manure twice a day topromote composting. The Kesslers intend totry straw bedding as well, although strawtends to be a less attractive option as itgenerates less heat than wood shavings.

The bedding will be removed completely oncea year and used to fertilize the 200 hectaresof cropland that the family owns and seeds tograin corn (70 ha), corn silage (20 ha),soybeans (25 ha) and wheat (15 ha). The restof the farmland is devoted to alfalfa, most ofwhich is harvested as silage, or used aspastureland. The pregnant heifers and drycows all have access to pasture, and thedairy cows are also put out in the evenings tograze and get some exercise.

The breeders use their crops to feed theiranimals a TMR that is enhanced with akilogram of hay and a supplement. Thebreeders tried a two-group feeding system inthe past, but since they saw no improvementin production, the herd now forms a singlefeeding group. They note that cows in earlylactation consume more those in latelactation, because the calves the pregnantcows carry take up some of the room in theirabdomens. Moreover, with one feeding groupthe cows are not required to get used to newcompanions, which reduces stress andcompetitive behaviour among them.

The cows receive no feed at milking. While itmeans that a little more work is required tobring the cows to the milking parlour, thecows do stay calmer, say the breeders.

BREEDING PROFILEB

Swisskess Storm Trixi, EX 6*, dam to 16daughters, including 3 EX and 10 VG, was the

first Swisskess cow to classify EX.

Swisskess Goldwyn Just Right epitomizes thetype of animal the Kessler family is looking for: a good show cow, third Senior Three-Year-Old inBedford, in 2011; a good dairy cow, producing

over 48 000 kg of milk in three lactations (238-270-239); and a prolific embryo producer.

Swisskess Goldwyn Sunshine, EX-93, co-ownedwith Ferme L. Campbell et fils (Camphols), wonReserve Grand Champion in Bedford, in both 2011and 2013, and Honourable Mention at the BromeFair, in 2011. She is the first cow of the herd totake part in shows at the provincial level.

First, the Quebec producers were asked todescribe the features that stood out for themduring their visit. Then, in a second phase, LaRevue approached breeders and profes -sionals working in the Swiss dairy industry toget their feedback and learn more aboutbreeding and dairy production in thisEuropean country.

From the status of cows in the nationalculture to the distinctive characteristics ofSwiss, or Gruyère, cheese, in addition to theimportant role played by government, Holsteinbreeding in Switzerland may, in many ways,differ significantly from that in Quebec, butthat certainly doesn’t make it any lessfascinating.

In Switzerland, cows reign supreme

Cows are very much present in Switzerlandand can be seen throughout the countryside.A beautiful sight, some Quebecers will say.Cows are even a common sight in urbanareas, particularly as figurines in the touristshops. For Quebecers, it seems obvious that

cows are part of the culture of the Swisspopulation as a whole, not just the dairysector.

All of the people La Revue contacted by emailwere of the same opinion. Maryline Guldin,communications and product manager for theFédération suisse d'élevage Holstein, pointsout that the cow is actually one ofSwitzerland’s symbols, like chocolate andwatches, and she mentions that the animal“enjoys a high level of goodwill with theSwiss.” Yvan Roulin, an independent breedingadvisor, explains that that goodwill is alsolinked to the fact that milk, cheese and meatare typical products, widely available in avariety of forms, that are much appreciatedby Swiss consumers.

The attachment to dairy cows is particularlyevident at the end of the summer, when theherds that have summered in the alps comehome for the winter. That event initiates aceremony that is as emblematic as it istraditional. With folklore as the theme of theoccasion, the cowherds, men and womenwho watch over the herds in the mountains,don traditional dress, and the cows areadorned with flowers and bells on theirnecks. Farmers and cows in their finery formprocessions that move through the townstreets to the rhythm of traditional music.

Most of the townspeople seem to be inattendance, confirming their connection toboth the animals and the tradition. It is alsoan excellent opportunity to taste local foodproducts.

Respect for older cows

Well able to recognize the value of a fine-looking Holstein cow, Quebec producerswere quick to notice the high quality of thelivestock in Switzerland. But they wereparticularly fascinated – and the word is nottoo strong – by the respect with which theSwiss treat their older cows. As proof, theypoint to the applause drawn by the winner ofthe 60 000 kg and over class at Swiss Expo, aresponse that was as enthusiastic, if not moreso, than the show of appreciation for theGrand Champion.

The people interviewed by La Revue had notrouble explaining this fondness. First, saysDominique Savary, of Ferme du Grand-Clos,named Master Breeder in Switzerland in2105, Swiss breeders like good milkproducers but are also very much interestedin the morphology and functional traits oftheir cows. He mentions that they like

Holstein breeding in SwitzerlandDifferent, but every bit as fascinating

ver the past few years, a number of Quebec producers affiliated with Holstein Québec have visited Switzerland onvarious missions. The opportunity enabled them to discover some distinctive features of Swiss dairy farming. LaRevue decided to find out more about their impressions. O

FEATUREF

Superb scenery!

By Michel Dostie

Editor

Translation byNicole De Rouin

“solid cows that are able to produce throughmany lactations.” The reason for this, heexplains, is that production and rearing costsare very high in Switzerland, so producers“need to be able to amortize those costs overmany lactations.” An additional incentivecomes from the Fédération suisse d'élevageHolstein, which rewards all cows thatproduce more than 100 000 kg of milk.

In the same vein, Mr. Roulin mentions that thishigh regard shown for cows even promptsbreeders to readily give the benefit of thedoubt to a first-calf heifer that might not turnout be a great milk producer. He adds that

breeders will also do everything possible toensure that an animal that has to leave thefarm is treated with dignity, even if it meanspaying high vet fees. “So when we see a cowwith a high cumulative milk yield in the showring, we know how much care and effort wasrequired to get her there,” he explains.Although the current crisis in the dairyindustry, marked by extremely low milkprices, could push producers to look for waysto reduce rearing costs, respect for animalsis here to stay, affirms Mr. Roulin. Moreover,the attachment is evident among all dairyproducers, not just those who breed showanimals.

Proven bulls rate high

Visiting barns and attending shows has madeQuebec producers aware that Swiss breedersfavour proven bulls. As the representative ofthe Holstein Association underlines, the factthat there is a long-standing tradition ofbreeding in Switzerland and that breeders atcommitted to it means they are unwilling torisk destroying all the work they haveaccomplished over the years. As Mr. Roulinexplains, “the herds are relatively small, andso proven genetics present a lower risk.”

Amazing atmosphere at Swiss ExpoOur Quebec visitors to Switzerland also enthused over the vibrantatmosphere they encountered at the Swiss Expo dairy show(www.swiss-expo.com), ranked third among the top events of itskind in the world, according to Holstein international.

A conversation with Mr. Jacques Rey, one of the show’s managers,explains the phenomenon. Celebrating its 20th anniversary inJanuary of next year, Swiss Expo was inaugurated in 1996, in LaChaux-de-Fonds, by a group of young breeders in their twenties,which included Mr. Rey. Looking to do something new and inspiredby Toronto and Madison, they wanted to launch a show forbreeders where the dairy cow would be the main attraction, butthey also wanted a friendly and engaging event in which everyonewould enjoy taking part. They thought their approach would ensurethat not only breeders would find the experience worthwhile, butthat their extended families, friends and neighbours would want tocome along as well to enjoy the fun. They found a sponsor whobelieved in their project and were able to put their plan intooperation.

The organizers pulled out all the stops the first year; in eachinvitation addressed to breeders, they included 50 tickets for freeadmission and asked breeders to distribute them to the peoplearound them. Thanks to the breeders who did their part, that firstedition was a great success, and interest has been unshakableever since. Breeders look forward to taking part, and come withtheir friends and neighbours, many of whom are also dairyproducers. Because success breeds success, Mr. Rey explains,sponsors who are looking for greater public exposure get theirmoney’s worth and continue to support the event. Now, adds Mr.Rey, “They all say it’s a must.” In 2003, the show was moved toLausanne, when the site in La Chaux-de-Fonds could no longermeet its needs.

The date of the event is another factor that contributes to itssuccess, explains Mr. Rey. Holding the show in January, when farmwork is less demanding, means all farmers are able to attend.

Open only to breeders of the eight dairy breeds in Switzerland,Swiss Expo now welcomes 1000 animals each year. Unable toaccommodate more livestock, the organizers are sometimesrequired to turn animals away. Last year 130 were turned away. Sohow do they choose? They ask breeders to be more rigorous intheir selection criteria.

Swiss Expo has thus established a reputation as a grandiose event.And the icing on the cake is that the Grand Championship is alwayspreceded by a high-calibre cultural event. Next January, The Cityof Prague Philharmonic Orchestra will perform with its 60musicians to highlight the event’s 20th anniversary.

The Junior Bulle Expo (www.junior-bulle-expo.ch) is another eventthat drew the attention of many Quebec visitors. The show isorganized by the Club des jeunes éleveurs fribourgeois and onlyyoung breeders are eligible to take part. The event is held inDecember of each year, and the judge who officiates in Toronto inNovember of the same year is invited to preside.

One of the classes at the prestigious Swiss Expo, an event rated the third best show in the world, after Madison

and Toronto, according to Holstein International.

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Despite the preponderance of proven bulls,however, young bulls with genomic indexesare increasingly being used by breeders.Having noticed that some young sires areindeed producing the results they are lookingfor, breeders are putting more trust in thisnew technology. But, as Mr. Savary pointsout, Swiss breeders attach a great deal ofimportance to morphology, and any youngbull without positive traits in that respectreally has no potential for sale in the country. Mr. Roulin is of the same mind. In his view,only genomic bulls from good families(conformation, a series of show animals) arelikely to be successful. He writes that bullsthat have only good numbers may be used bysome breeders who are more willing to takea chance, but they won’t be used by mostbreeders. The fear of having an imperfectionin a pedigree after using a young sire thatdidn’t live up to their expectations makesmany breeders reluctant to take a chance.Hench they prefer to build their breeding lineswith deep pedigrees. In some cases,however, says Mr. Roulin, breeders willincorporate young genomic bulls from provenlines, such as Doorman, Bankroll orHighOctane, bulls that he says “are unlikelyto leave a blemish in the pedigree.”

Red and White Holsteins

It is a well-known fact that red and whiteHolsteins, called Red Holsteins in Switzerland,are very popular in the country. Mr. Roulinagrees, underlining that “the Red Holsteinpopulation [here] is one of the largest in the

world.” Ms Guldin tells us that there are infact more Red Holstein animals in theswissherdbook than in the herdbook of theFédération Holstein. Quebec producers willsay that these cows are not only popular butare highly valued for their genetics as well.

Traditionally, explains Ms Guldin, producerswho bred Simmental animals, red animalsused for both milk and beef production,quickly became aware of the geneticimprovements the American Holstein broughtto the black and white Fribourg herds. Evenif breed mixing was at one time inconceivable,says Mr. Roulin, red animal breeders soonsaw the possibilities for genetic improvement.Conversely, they were determined to preservethe colour of their animals. Breeders havethus done an excellent job in that respect, asboth here and in Switzerland the selections

for red animals are not the same as those forthe black.

Grants and subsidies

Another feature that stood out for Quebecbreeders visiting Switzerland is the high levelof government subsidies granted to Swissfarmers. The subsidies obviously assurebreeders a better income, but at the sametime entail a considerable amount of work tocomply with their various requirements.

The experts consulted confirm that Swissagriculture is indeed highly subsidized. Oneof the correspondents, Mr. Francis Egger, anofficer for the Union Suisse des paysans, thecountry’s main advocacy organization forSwiss farmers, says that in Switzerland theytalk about direct payment rather than

It’s a party in the commune of Sâles. Led by herders in traditional dress, the cows are coming down from the mountains at summer’s end.

A Red-Holstein class at the Junior Bulle Expo. Note how close the spectators are to the animals.

A few of the animalsfrom the Grand-ClosMaster Breeder herd.

subsidies. He explains that these payments,which make up 20 per cent of farmers’revenue, pay for the non-market benefits ofSwiss agriculture, such as safeguarding theenvironment, preserving the landscape, andpreventing the depopulation of remote ruralregions (important in mountainous areas). Inthat regard, Mr. Roulin mentions that “throughtheir daily work, farmers contribute a greatdeal to the beauty of the landscape, and thedirect payment is related to that. Tourism,ecology, biodiversity, etc. are words that areparticularly significant for the majority ofSwiss citizens. There is also a politicalcommitment to maintaining community life inmountainous or remote areas.” The paymentsare offered for all types of production, butdairy production, which represents more than20, if not 30, per cent of the country’sagricultural production, is the largest sectorto benefit from the payments.

The payments also compensate for thedifference between the milk prices paid toproducers and their production costs, which,as Ms Guldin points out, ensures thesustainability of agricultural production, soilmanagement and some level of local provisioningin the country. All our correspondents agree,however, that farmers would prefer to get amilk price that covers their costs. It isimportant to mention that the industrial milkprice currently paid to European producers iscausing some serious problems. The abolitionof milk quotas by the European Union anddomestic overproduction, combined withexcess supply on international markets andthe loss of the Russian market that wassupplied by other European countries, are allfactors contributing to the downturn in the

industrial milk price. For a small country witha strong currency, as is the case inSwitzerland, market liberalization is not,according to Mr. Roulin, a real solution. Onthat point, he thinks that “many producers inhis country would like to see the return of thequota system.”

To be eligible for these direct payments, Mr.Egger explains, a number of conditions mustbe respected, such as specific manure useguidelines, protection of biodiversity, etc.Breeder Dominique Savary adds that thepayments are also linked to rigorousspecifications regarding animal welfare, suchas open housing and daily access to pasture.Mountain grazing is also encouraged.

Ms Guldin and Mr. Egger explain that asignificant part of these direct payments iscontingent upon the new rules of the WorldTrade Organization (WTO), dating from 1983.The payments have been incorporated in theSwiss Constitution, which stipulates that

agriculture must provide general functionsand services. These include:

- ensuring reliable supply;- maintaining the farmscape;- conserving natural resources;- preventing the depopulation of remote rural

regions;- promoting production methods that are in

harmony with nature and compatible withand respectful of animal life.

Swiss cheese

A considerable portion of Swiss milkproduction is used to make Swiss cheese,called Gruyère in its country of origin, but themilk must meet certain requirements. Quebecvisitors were much impressed by theseconditions, which, among other things,prohibit feeding silage to the cows andstipulate that 70 per cent of forages fed mustbe harvested on farm and contain nopreservatives other than kitchen salt, inaddition to conditions relating to milk quality,animal comfort and winter grazing. Automaticmilking systems and growth stimulants arealso prohibited when the milk is intended forSwiss cheesemaking, and producers aremoreover required to make two deliveries perday to the cheese dairy. Similar conditionsapply to other dairy products with a protecteddesignation of origin (PDO) as well. Obviously,everyone agrees that producers complyingwith these requirements must be compensatedwith a higher milk price. Production andpricing are managed by a joint representationgroup made up of producers, cheesemakersand ripeners.

An alpine pasture hut, a typical sight in the highlands of Switzerland.

A group of exhibitors at Expo Bulle, the national Swiss Holstein and Red Holsteinshow organized in collaboration with the Swiss breeding federations.

Great photosLa Revue Holstein Québec wishes tothank Mr. Dominique Savary, MasterBreeder 2015 in Switzerland in additionto being a photographer, for kindlyproviding the photos that illustrate thisarticle. Readers who are interested inthe pictures can contact him through hisInternet site or his Facebook page at thefollowing addresses: www.grandclos.chand https://www.facebook.com/ferme.du.grandclos