A new cross-European project aimed at transforming the dairy sector has been launched in 14 different countries, to facilitate a longer duration of time spent between newborn dairy calves and their mothers, otherwise referred to as the Cow-Calf Contact (CCC) system.
Coordinated by University College Dublin (UCD), TransformDairyNet is a €3 million project funded under the Horizon Europe research and innovation funding programme, which will harness the expertise of 26 European and British partners.
Together, the international cohort of partners will establish a European Knowledge and Innovation network dedicated to the cross border expansion and development of the Cow-Calf Contact (CCC) system of dairy production.
The three-year project will unite stakeholders from across the dairy industry under the common goals of improving animal welfare, sustainability, and profitability within the sector.
These ambitions are created in line with the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy, which is a contingent of the European Green Deal aimed at accelerating the transition to a sustainable food system.
TransformDairyNet aims to support farmers to adopt Cow-Calf Contact systems to enable calves to remain with their mothers or foster cows for an extended period of time, promoting natural behaviors, animal health, and welfare as a result.
Cow-Calf Contact system
The project will foster collaboration from farmers, veterinarians, advisors, and researchers who will form the basis of so called National Innovation Practice Hubs (NIPs), where existing and new CCC farmers and stakeholder can share their experiences and learn from each other.
On traditional dairy farms, calves are separated from their mothers shortly after birth, which researchers have found to impact both the welfare of mother and calf, while creating an ethical dilemma.
Project coordinator, Prof. Siobhan Mullan said: “Cow calf separation is a significant animal welfare challenge and ethical concern for European citizens.
“We are delighted to be working with pioneering farmers and others to enable more dairy cows and calves to spend time together all across Europe, making sure we’ve got a dairy sector fit for the future.”
TransformDairyNet not only seeks to transform the dairy sector but also aims to provide a blueprint for upscaling other novel agricultural practices with high societal demand.
By addressing the ethical, environmental, and economic dimensions of dairy production, TransformDairyNet strives to make CCC systems the gold standard for European dairy farming, while also providing a blue print for other other novel sustainable agricultural practices.
“We want to support existing and curious dairy farmers and support actors across Europe to work together and learn from each other in the adoption of cow calf contact systems.
“Farmer-led innovation is key to this process which TransformDairyNet will facilitate.
“We are privileged to be working with and learning from pioneering practitioners who are inspiring change. We believe this can transform the dairy sector,” project co-lead, Dr. Jessica Stokes said.
TransformDairyNet’s key objectives:
- Speed up CCC adoption: Create a European network to address farmers’ needs and knowledge gaps, helping more farms leave calves with their mothers for longer;
- Share evidence-based best practice: Combine scientific research with practical experience to develop and share best practices, benefiting the wider European dairy industry;
- Innovation through living labs: Use national hubs to test new CCC practices & ideas addressing farmers’ needs, challenges, and opportunities as well as sustainability tool for CCC farmers, benefiting calves, cows, and farmers to meet consumer demand;
- Enhance communication: Use digital tools to spread CCC knowledge across Europe;
- Ensure lasting impact: Work with EU FarmBook to keep sharing CCC knowledge even after the project ends.