‘Production method’ section
The product specification provides more details on a number of aspects of the production method to better describe the production conditions for the milk and for making it into ‘Crème d’Isigny’. These aspects strengthen the link with the geographical area.
Provisions on management of the dairy herd (breed, feed) have been added to enable the traditional practices to be recorded.
Herd management
The following definition of the dairy herd has been added, as follows: ‘For the purpose of this product specification, “herd” means the entire bovine dairy herd of a holding, composed of lactating cows and dry cows.’
This definition in the product specification aims to clearly set out what livestock is referred to when using the terms ‘dairy herd’ and ‘dairy cows’, thus providing a framework for checks and avoiding any confusion.
The following paragraphs have been added:
‘The herd must be put out to pasture for a period of at least seven months.’
‘At least 50 % of the main forage area of each holding must comprise grass. Each lactating cow must be allocated at least 0,35 hectares of meadow (natural, temporary or annual) available, of which at least 0,2 hectares are pasture, or at least 0,1 hectares are pasture supplemented with hay.’
In order to establish the link between the product and the geographical area, the requirement that grass constitutes the herd’s diet (whether through grazing or hay), in accordance with the local tradition in the geographical area of grassland-based livestock farming, has been ensured by the following provisions:
Breed
The following paragraphs have been added:
‘Milk from each collection used by the manufacturer to make “Crème d’Isigny” must come from herds where at least 30 % of the cows are dairy cows of the Normande breed.’
‘A “collection” is defined as the total amount of milk collected and used by a manufacturer within a 48-hour period.’
These requirements ensure that a significant amount of the milk used to make ‘Crème d’Isigny’ comes from cows of the Normande breed.
These elements are also referred to under point 3.3. of the single document.
The herd’s diet
The following paragraphs have been added:
‘80 % of the herd’s basic ration, expressed as dry matter, must come from the geographical area. It must consist of the following fresh or preserved fodder: grass, corn, cereals or protein crops that are immature (the entire plant), straw, lucerne, fodder beet, root vegetables and dehydrated beet pulp.’
‘For the minimum period of 7 months when the cows are put out to pasture, on average at least 40 % of the feed ration, expressed as dry matter, must consist of fresh grass or hay. For the rest of the year, the proportion of grass in the daily feed ration may not be less than 20 %, expressed as dry matter.’
These provisions have been included with the aim of establishing a link between the product and the geographical area by requiring the majority of the dairy cows’ diet to come from the geographical area. In addition, a positive list of authorised fodder has been drawn up in order to better define the type of fodder used.
These provisions on the herd’s diet are also included under point 3.3. of the single document.
The following paragraph has been added: ‘The amount of supplementary feed provided is restricted to 1 800 kg, expressed as dry weight, per cow in the herd per calendar year.’.
This restriction makes it possible to avoid this feed constituting too large a proportion of the food supply, and to ensure that the basic ration comes from the geographical area.
This provision has also been added to point 3.3. of the single document.
The following paragraph has been added:
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