RAU proud to be a partner in a new project to improve the welfare of dairy calves and their mothers

Traditionally, calves are separated from their mothers shortly after birth, which impacts the welfare of both mother and calf. 

TransformDairyNet will enable dairy farmers, and others in the industry, to learn from existing Cow-Calf Contact (CCC) dairy farmers who have adopted systems were calves stay with their mothers for months, promoting natural behaviours, animal health, and welfare.

 The European project, designed to revolutionize the dairy industry through these CCC systems, is bringing together farmers, vets, researchers, NGOs, and industry experts to promote sustainable dairy practices that prioritise animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and economic viability.

 Dr Jessica Stokes, Associate Professor in Farm Animal Welfare Science and Policy at the RAU, is one of the joint leaders of the project. 

She said: “We want to support existing and curious dairy farmers and industry across Europe to work together and learn from each other in the adoption of cow calf contact systems.

“The RAU is leading in the set-up of 11 National Innovation Practice Hubs and a European Knowledge and Innovation Network to share existing CCC knowledge across borders, benefiting from the insights and experiences of innovative farmers and other industry practitioners who are already putting this system into practice.

“We are also leading the farmer-led innovation process which will fund trials in the Practice Hubs across participating countries on specific CCC knowledge gaps, challenges, and needs that farmers want to address. We are privileged to be working with and learning from pioneering practitioners who are inspiring change and we believe this can transform the dairy sector.”

Coordinated by University College Dublin, the TransformDairyNet project will run for three years and harness the expertise of 26 European partners from 14 countries, with the further ambition to collaborate with global initiatives in this field, and establish an international network which continues to support the upscaling of CCC systems after the life of the project.

Project Coordinator Professor Siobhan Mullan from University College Dublin said: "Cow calf separation is a significant animal welfare challenge and an 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."