The SUCCEED project aims to develop practical solutions for keeping cow and calf together in commercial dairy production. Public acceptance is pivotal for a sustainable dairy production, and the tradition of taking the calf away from the cow shortly after birth has been questioned.

Many farmers express interest for keeping the two together for an extended period, which has the potential to improve animal health and welfare and to meet consumer expectations. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how to do this in a feasible and economically viable way in different housing systems, and the short and long-term effects.

The project combines biological and social scientific methods to approach these issues. Functional technical solutions for cow-calf contact in loose-housing systems with different milking systems will be developed, as well as on pasture. Implications for health, behaviour and performance will be studied. Maternal behaviour will be studied with the ultimate goal of inclusion in the breeding program of Geno. Long-term effects of suckling on welfare (behaviour, health), and production (growth, milk yield, fertility) of cow and calf will be identified. Further, economic consequences of various cow-calf contact systems will be documented.

Actors in the value chain of dairy products (represented by farmers, dairy processors, retailers, and consumers) will be interviewed to identify current and possible obstacles and opportunities for implementing systems for increased contact between dairy cow and calf. SUCCEED facilitates a joint action from the industry, dairy producers and researchers, and will provide an important basis for recommendations for the industry. This will enable the TINE advisory team to support farmers who want to implement cow-calf contact systems. The SUCCEED project will ensure high standards of animal health and welfare in dairy cow-calf contact systems and contribute to a sustainable production.

Prosject leader

Julie Føske Johnsen

Partners

• Norwegian University of Life Sciences
• Norwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture
• Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy
• Institute for Rural and Regional Research
• TINE
• Geno
• Felleskjøpet
• Norgesfôr
• deLaval
• Nofence
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
• Thünen Institute (Germany)
• University of British Columbia in Canada