Born in Nancy in 1932, he studied in Paris at the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon (1953-1956) and at the Université Paris-Sorbonne in Biology and Physiology. He then embarked on a brilliant career as a researcher and teacher in animal productions.
First an assistant, then a researcher at INRA with Mr Zelter (1955-1962), he became “chef de travaux” then associate professor in animal productions at INA (1966). He left Paris for Dijon in 1967, where he became Professor of Animal Productions at the newly created Ecole Nationale des Sciences Appliquées (ENESAD), where he taught for the rest of his career, even after his retirement (1998).
His main research interest was the feeding and nutrition of herbivores (sheep, cattle, goats, camelids and equids). He was particularly interested in the use of low-quality roughages, in the silage preservation of forages, in the use on non-protein nitrogen by ruminants, in the digestion of feeds by equids and in improving the use of legume seeds. He authored 49 publications and 82 communications, and he directed 24 PhD thesis and many student papers.
He also dedicated many efforts to the improvement of livestock farming in the regions of Bourgogne and France-Comté (dairy systems and meat production systems, use of forages and byproducts, goat herds, free range pigs), and worked closely with the farmers and farmer organisations (Chambers of Agriculture, Technical Institutes…). He served in many national workgroups with the Technical Institutes (ITEB, ITOVIC, ITCF).
He brought his knowledge, dedication and part of his time to the activities of many French research and teaching associations : animal productions (AFZ, secretary from 1994 to 2007), forages (AFPF), nutrition (AFN) ; he was a correspondent (1987) for the French Academy of Agriculture and became a member in 2002.
He was a technical adviser in matters of higher agricultural education in the French ministry of agriculture (1968-1972, B. Pons, J. Chirac).
>His international activities were extremely important. He was a regular participant in EAAP meetings, ensuring that the AFZ was represented in this association. He was a EAAP secretery, then became president of the commission on nutrition (1984-1994), served on its administration board (1994-1998), presided the committee on publications (1998-2000) and several workgroups (1996-2005) on higher education, alternative livestock farming and the Mediterranean area.
He was very involved with the Centre International des Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes (CHIEAM), as a teacher in its Zaragoza centre (1968-1998), as an expert, scientific advisor, responsible of programmes and member of its scientific advisory board (1987-1992). He was also a member of a leader of several FAO workgroups (1990-1999). At the request of local authorities, he was asked to study a variety of topics and situations in many countries (dairy and meat production in the Mediterranean area, use and management of steppe and oasis land by livestock and related environmental concerns, in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burkina-Faso).
His enthusiasm and dedication were tireless: he was at the service of students and livestock farmers in France and in the world and he lent his active support to agricultural science and to many associations. A formidable teacher, he left his stamp on many students and collaborators. His powerful voice will no longer resound in our gatherings. He had charisma and was eager to share his convictions, while being humble and a simple man. He was a discreet friend, and a loyal one for those who knew and trusted him.
He was an Officer of the Légion d’Honneur (2001) and a Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite (1971). His funeral was held at the St-Michel Church in Dijon on the 12 June 2007.
In loving memory of his wife and son, whom he had lost.
His many friends and colleagues will not forget him.
