Register now: 2026 EKIN Meeting in Bucharest, Romania
We are excited to share details about the second TransformDairyNet (TDN) EKIN meeting, taking place on 20 May 2026 in Bucharest, Romania.
This year’s edition will focus on the Living Labs that were launched this year, and offers a great opportunity to exchange knowledge and strengthen the cow-calf contact community across Europe.
Would you like to attend in person? Contact your National Network Facilitator (NNF) or email us at EKIN@transformdairynet.eu by 14 April (registration closing date).
For those who cannot attend in person, an online registration option is also available to attend and to share within your networks.
The programme is available on the website. Click the button below to read it and stay updated.
TDN webinars continue to generate strong interest in cow-calf contact (CCC) systems across Europe and beyond. Following the success of TDN’s first webinar, Veterinary Insights on Cow-Calf Contact (CCC) Systems (recording), the momentum has continued with three additional European-level webinars and three local sessions.
Cow-Calf Contact on Different Continents – Lessons Learned So Far – [Recording & Event Links]
Local-level webinars:
Romanian: Sisteme de contact vacă-vițel: perspective și practici – [Recording & Event Links]
French: Pratiques d’élevage des veaux laitiers sous leurs mères ou des nourrices – [Recording & Event Links]
French n°2: Impacts techniques, sociaux et économiques de l’élevage des veaux laitiers sous leurs mères ou des nourrices – [Recording & Event Links]
Italian: Gestione degli spazi per l’applicazione del CCC: approcci operativi alla gestione degli spazi nell’ottica del Cow-Calf Contact – [Recording & Event Links]
With more than 550 participants across these seven webinars, TDN’s digital outreach is clearly helping to raise awareness and spotlight CCC practices. Stakeholders from various sectors are actively engaging in these sessions to better understand the practical and scientific aspects of CCC systems.
The webinars have received excellent feedback thanks to relevant topics, effective communication, and expert speakers. Recordings further extend their impact by allowing stakeholders to access the content on demand. We encourage you to share them/the playlist within your networks.
TDN Participates in Horizon Clustering Meeting
In summer 2025, Ebba Eriksson from EFFAB represented TransformDairyNet (TDN) at the Horizon Clustering Meeting of thematic and advisory networks and AKIS-related projects in Brussels.
Ebba presented TDN’s networking activities on cow-calf contact systems, which generated strong interest, particularly our farmer-led, co-creative approach to knowledge exchange. She also contributed to the panel discussion on “Effective Dissemination of R&I Results to Farmers – Lessons Learnt”, sharing insights on how to make innovation genuinely accessible and relevant for farmers.
The meeting highlighted the increasing focus on practical, field-based innovation, and TDN’s approach clearly resonated with participants from EU projects and institutions. Attendees showed strong enthusiasm for TDN’s work and methodology.
Additional highlights included a workshop on “Turning Innovation into Impact” led by EU-FarmBook, PREMIERE, and ATTRACTISS, as well as opening remarks from Paul Webb (REA) and Henri Delanghe (DG AGRI).
TDN’s participation reflects its ongoing commitment to bridging research, innovation, and farming practice to drive meaningful and sustainable change in European dairy systems.
NIPs Updates
The Danish NIP Visits Poetgaard Sheep Farm Dairy
Last year, the Danish NIP held a meeting at Poetgaard Sheep Farm Dairy (Pøtgaard - Sheep's Cheese Farm Dairy and Cheese School), located in the middle of Jutland, Denmark. At this meeting, the owners Claudia & Jorgen, who have recently established (probably) the smallest farm dairy in Denmark, showed their sheep and production of cheese.
The Danish NIP was keen to learn more about opportunities to sell milk from CCC systems directly from farm. Claudia and Jorgen have a herd of 100 Friesian and Swifter dairy sheep in a pasture-based system. During the day, the lambs are separated from their mothers, and the milk is used for cheese production. The lambs are together with their mothers during the night. In this way, the system ensures milk for both lamb and cheese production.
Danish legislation regarding food hygiene and documentation is very strict, but Claudia and Jorgen demonstrated that compliance is possible even on a small scale. It was both interesting and encouraging to learn how dam-offspring contact is implemented in other species.
Sheep and lambs. Photo: Poetgaard Sheep Farm Dairy
Exciting Launch of the Greek Living Lab
As in all our NIPs, each member and NNF of TDN is actively planning, launching, and running their own Living Lab. Today, we highlight Greece, with insights from Dr. Evangelia N. Sossidou, Veterinarian and Research Director, and Chrysa E. Adamakopoulou, NNF of the Greek NIP.
The Greek Living Lab has come to life in a modern dairy farm located in the Northern part of Greece. So far, two cows have given birth to two healthy and bright calves during mid-January, all living in an Automatic Milking System (AMS). Together with Mr. Kliampas, the dairy farmer, we are overseeing the system with great enthusiasm and ambition.
A comprehensive protocol has been developed, which includes health, welfare and behaviour assessment methods alongside data collection procedures. The protocol is to be implemented throughout the three-month period of the Living Lab. A range of key indicators will be monitored, including calves’ health and growth, cows and calves’ behaviour, and overall physical condition. The AMS will allow continuous data collection on milk yield. In the meantime, environmental data from the farm’s weather station will be integrated to explore how external factors, such as temperature and humidity, may influence behaviour and performance.
We look forward to learning, observing, and sharing rewarding results from this endeavour at the upcoming EKIN event in Bucharest!
Photo: Greek TDN NIP & LL
Let's Hear You!
Farmer Stories
In 2025, TransformDairyNet published its first six Practice Abstracts, now available on the EU CAP Network and on the TDN website. These concise, EIP-AGRI–formatted summaries share innovative approaches, farmer experiences, and practical recommendations related to cow-calf contact systems. This first batch marks the start of a series, with at least 30 Practice Abstracts planned to support knowledge exchange across the European dairy community.
Discover the first Farmer story: "If you want this, dare to try!”
Tockarp Organic farm was rebuilt for CCC in 2021 and houses 75 cows in a robotic milking system. When deciding to rebuild for CCC, Lola and Anton designed an innovative system well-suited to their needs. At the farm, cows calve in straw-bedded pens and are kept full-time with their calves for the first 2-3 days. After these days, cows are moved together with their calves to a larger group pen bedded with straw. This pen is the home for the calves during the coming weeks, while cows are allowed to visit. Cows are moved into the loose housing system with the other cows, where all necessary resources are available (water, feed, rotating brushes, cubicles).
After visiting the milking unit, cows that have access to their calves are sorted into the group pen, while cows who do not have access to the calves are sorted back into the loose housing unit. Cows are allowed to spend as much time as they like with the calves in the group pen, but need to go back into the loose housing unit to access feed. During pasture seasons, cows can choose to go out to pasture after visiting their calves.
At 4-5 weeks of age, calves are abruptly separated from their dams, by being moved into the youngstock unit where they are housed in groups of 7. As they are still milk feeding, they are fed whole milk from buckets 2 times daily and quickly learn to drink. Cows are restricted to the loose housing unit and quickly accept their new reality. The choice to separate cows and calves at this age limits competition between older and younger calves, and also the loss of saleable milk. “The best thing with the system is to see the interactions between cow and calf”, Lola says. “If you want this, you should dare to try”.
Photo: Tockarp Organic farm
Other Practice Abstracts present: Principle Elements of CCC Systems, Whole-Day Contact with the Dam, Half-Day Contact with the Dam, Short-Time Contact with the Dam (restricted suckling), and Whole-Day Contact with a Foster Cow.
TDN Interview Series: Meet Charles Ellet on Ethical Dairy Farming
We’re thrilled to kick off the TDN Video Interview Series with an inspiring story from Charles Ellet, Dairy Manager at The Ethical Dairy in southwest Scotland, the first commercial UK dairy to adopt a cow-with-calf system!
Filmed during the first TDN EKIN meeting, on a farm in Thessaloniki, Greece, Charles opens up about what it truly means to farm differently, the challenges he has faced, and why he believes it’s absolutely worth it.
Don’t miss this first video interview and discover how innovation, welfare, and passion come together on a modern dairy farm.
Additionally to this video interview, Charles shares his experience running a dairy farm that prioritizes cow-calf contact and works in harmony with nature. In his written interview, he reflects on the practical challenges, innovative solutions, and lessons learned while implementing more natural, welfare-friendly systems. Click the link below and discover his insights and approach.
Chrysa, our Greek National NNF, spent several weeks on The Ethical Dairy farm in Scotland, exploring cow-calf contact systems firsthand. She shares her reflections on daily farm life, animal welfare practices, and the valuable lessons she took back to her own work. Read about her practical experience and insights here: Chrysa at The Ethical Dairy
Other Topics
New “Collaborator” Logo for TransformDairyNet
We’re excited to introduce a new “Collaborator” logo for TDN! This logo is available for any organization, farm, or stakeholder interested in collaborating with TDN and showing their support for our work on innovative dairy practices.
Using the logo is a simple way to highlight your partnership and commitment to advancing cow-calf contact systems.
Dr Racheal Bryant, Associate Professor in Animal Science at Lincoln University, New Zealand, shared why collaborating with TDN has been valuable: “The reason for our collaborate with TDN is because the network provides a wonderful opportunity to share information, not just in Europe, but globally. There are farmers in New Zealand and Australia who have been practising or trying out cow-calf contact systems and being a collaborator with TDN helps knowledge transfer across a wide range of farming systems. I will use the TDN collaborator logo in conjunction with existing Dairy Futures: Living laboratory logo in communications with the Australasian Hub and presentations relating to CCC to raise awareness.
If you’re interested in collaborating or using the logo, get in touch with us at info@transformdairynet.eu
New TDN Deliverables available on the Website
TransformDairyNet has recently published several key deliverables:
WP1: Mobilising National and European MACCC Knowledge and Innovation Networks
Work Package 1 focused on building and mobilising National Innovation Practice Hubs (NIPs) and the European Knowledge and Innovation Network (EKIN). Through training and supporting National Network Facilitators (NNFs), TDN established 11 NIPs across 12 countries, engaging 187 participants, and organised the EKIN meeting in Thessaloniki with 111 members. These networks connect farmers, advisors, veterinarians, researchers, and other stakeholders to share and co-create practical cow–calf contact knowledge. Read the full report
Current Knowledge and Gaps on CCC Systems
This report provides an overview of the European knowledge landscape on CCC systems, drawing on farmer experience, project studies, and online available information material. It identifies knowledge and dissemination gaps, variations in adoption and practices across countries, and key challenges such as barn design, economic viability, weaning methods, and stakeholder engagement. The work highlights the need for better access to existing guides, reports, and resources to support the wider uptake and standardization of CCC systems. Read the full report
Overview of the DEC Toolkit Created (D5.2)
Deliverable D5.2 summarises the TDN Dissemination, Exploitation, and Communication (DEC) toolkit developed in the first 18 months. The toolkit provides partners, NNFs, and other actors with harmonised resources, channels, and guidance to communicate and share CCC knowledge effectively across Europe, including practice abstracts, videos, webinars, farm visits, and links to EU-wide knowledge platforms. Read the full report
These reports are essential resources for supporting the growth and scaling of ethical, sustainable dairy farming across Europe.
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.
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