Working Together to Upscale Cow-Calf Contact Dairy Systems
The TransformDairyNet (TDN) project aims to promote systems where calves stay with their mothers for months, rather than being separated shortly after birth, as is common in traditional dairy farming.
This Cow-Calf Contact (CCC) initiative has the potential to improve animal welfare and health. The project involves 26 partners across Europe, including farmers, researchers, and industry experts. It’s establishing 11 national hubs to share knowledge about CCC practices, develop innovative solutions to CCC challenges and guides for farmers, and create a network for exchanging information on sustainable dairy farming.
By 2027, TransformDairyNet aims to increase the adoption of CCC systems on European dairy farms, towards a more ethical and sustainable dairy production.
Website & Social Media
We are excited to announce the launch of the new TransformDairyNet website!
Explore our platform for valuable insights on sustainable dairy farming, innovation in CCC systems, and the latest research. The site offers resources, project updates, and opportunities for collaboration across the dairy sector. Stay informed on the progress of our initiatives and join us in shaping a more sustainable future for dairy farming!
We are also delighted to share that our social media accounts on LinkedIn and Facebook have successfully launched. Don’t hesitate to follow us on these platforms to stay informed about project news, events, and breakthroughs. Engage with our community, share your thoughts, and join us in revolutionizing the dairy industry for a more sustainable future.
Future Events
TDN’s EKIN first meeting & Consortium meeting
We are thrilled to announce that the first hybrid meeting of the European Knowledge and Innovation Network (EKIN) will take place the 22nd of May 2025 in Thessaloniki,Greece.
EKIN is set to unite stakeholders from across Europe and beyond, serving as a valuable sounding board for TransformDairyNet’s progress and impact. This initiative will also highlight the work of National Innovation Practice Hubs (NIPs), fostering an exchange of ideas and promoting CCC knowledge from grassroots initiatives to high-level policy discussions.
Prior to this EKIN Meeting, the TransformDairyNet (TDN) consortium will hold its first in-person meeting. This highly anticipated gathering marks the first opportunity for all consortium partners to come together face-to-face. The meeting will be an exciting and informative platform to share the latest updates, outcomes, and developments while planning the future trajectory of TDN.
Successful Events
The TDN project has experienced several remarkable events in its first year, such as the facilitators' training workshopthis summer, which empowered participants with essential skills, the labelling workshop, which fostered knowledge exchange on CCC schemes and certification, and the consortium meetings, which brought together all the stakeholders for strategic planning and collaboration. These events have laid a solid foundation for the project's continued success and growth.
The Facilitators’ Training Workshop (15-18 July 2024)
NIP Workshops
The National Innovation Practice Hubs (NIPs) play a vital role in the project. Over the past months, in these NIPs, National Network Facilitators (NNFs) have convened impactful meetings, bringing together farmers, veterinarians, and other stakeholders to share knowledge and tackle challenges related to CCC in their countries.
NIPs ensure a strong connection between local and European efforts, significantly advancing TransformDairyNet's mission. In the coming months, all NIPs will work on developing proposals for Living Labs, which will allow them to put innovation into practice.
The Norwegian participants in the Norwegian-Swedish NIP during
their first in-person meeting.
Press Release
We proudly published the first press release for TDN in November!
2024 marked the first year of this innovative initiative. This press release highlights the project's mission to improve the dairy industry through CCC systems, which promote natural behaviors and enhance animal welfare.
The release emphasises the collaborative efforts of 26 European partners from 14 countries, including farmers, vets, researchers, NGOs, and industry experts, all working together to promote sustainable dairy practices that prioritise animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and economic viability.
To kick off the interviews, who better than the two key coordinators of the TDN project?
We are pleased to share a quick interview with Professor Siobhan Mullan and Dr. Jessica Stokes.
Professor Siobhan Mullan is Professor of Animal Welfare & Veterinary Ethics at University College Dublin (UCD). She focuses on developing methodologies to assess animal welfare and collaborates with industrial partners to drive large-scale welfare improvements across various species.
Dr. Jessica Stokes is an Associate Professor in Farm Animal Welfare Science and Policy at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU). She focuses on developing positive welfare frameworks for livestock and collaborates with researchers, farmers, and industry stakeholders to enhance the resilience and sustainability of agriculture.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or REA. Neither the European Union nor REA can be held responsible for them.
