About the project

TransformDairyNet is a groundbreaking European project designed to revolutionize the dairy industry through CowCalf Contact (CCC) systems. This initiative unites farmers, researchers, NGOs, and industry experts to promote sustainable dairy practices that prioritize animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and economic viability.

TransformDairyNet harnesses the expertise of 26 European partners from 14 countries. Together, they will mobilize 11 National Innovation Practice Hubs and a European Knowledge and Innovation Network. This network will comprise dairy farmers, veterinarians, advisors, supply chain actors, farmer organizations, researchers, and policymakers, all collaborating to enhance and scale up CCC dairy production and beyond.

The project is led by professor Siobhan Mullan ved University College Dublin UCD Ireland.

• Background

  The dairy sector is in a crucial period of change, moving towards more sustainable, net-zero, and high-welfare food production. Traditionally, calves are separated from their mothers shortly after birth, impacting the welfare of both mother and calf and leading to increasing ethical concerns. TransformDairyNet aims to support farmers to upscale systems where calves can remain with their mothers or foster cows for an extended period, promoting natural behaviors, animal health, and welfare.

• Objective

  TransformDairyNets hovedmål er:

  • 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 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.
• More about the project

  TransformDairyNet homepage

  LinkedIn

  Facebook

• Project participant at NMBU
• Collaboration partners

  • Prosjektleder: University College Dublin UCD Ireland
  • Federation of Veterinarians of Europe FVE Belgium
  • Institutul de Cercetare - Dezvoltare pentru Cresterea Bovinelor Balotesti RDIB Romania
  • Phylum PHY France
  • VIER PFOTEN International VPI Austria
  • Università degli Studi della Basilicata UB Italy
  • Royal Agricultural University RAU UK
  • Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Federal Research Institute for Rural
  • Areas, Forestry and Fisheries
  • THU Germany
  • Eesti Maaülikool, Estonian University of Life Sciences EMU Estonia
  • Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien VMU Austria
  • Aarhus University AU Denmark
  • Scotland’s Rural College SRUC UK
  • Ellinikos Georgikos Organismos-Dimitra Veterinary Research Institute ELGO Greece
  • Norwegian University of Life Sciences NMBU Norway
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences SLU Sweden
  • TINE dairies TINE Norway
  • European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders EFFAB Netherlands
  • Associazione Nazionale Allevatori della Razza Frisona, Bruna e Jersey Italiana ANA Italy
  • Innovation Centre for Organic Farming ICOEL Denmark
  • Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Specie Bufalina ANASB Italy
  • Schweisfurth Stiftung SFS Germany
  • Eesti Mahepõllumajanduse Sihtasutus EOFF Estonia
  • BIO AUSTRIA – Verein zur Förderung des biologischen Landbaus BIOA Austria
  • Sustainable Development Solutions Network SDSN France
  • REVOLVE REV Belgium