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Project
TransformDairyNet
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TransformDairyNet: Working together to upscale Cow-Calf-Contact dairy production and beyond
Rearing calves with contact to cows is a growing interest among farmers around the world. But there are still no standard methods and many countries lack practical examples.
Background and Objective
TransformDairyNet aims to increase the resilience and sustainability of the European dairy sector by promoting a network to compile, co-create and share best practice knowledge and innovations in cow-calf contact systems at national and European level and beyond.
Approach
At the Thünen Institute, we are coordinating work package 3, which aims to compile the existing knowledge on cow-based calf rearing and to identify the barriers to further dissemination of the method. This involves reviewing the literature, conducting surveys and organising workshops.
Links and Downloads
Thünen-Contact
Involved Thünen-Partners
Involved external Thünen-Partners
- Aarhus University
(Aarhus, Tjele, Dänemark) - VIER PFOTEN International
(Wien, Österreich) -
VetmedUni Vienna
(Wien, Österreich) -
University College Dublin
(Dublin, Irland) -
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)
(Edinburgh, Großbritannien (inkl. Nordirland)) -
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
(Ås, Norwegen) -
Swedish University of Agricultural Science - SLU
(Uppsala, Lysekil, Schweden) - Institutul National de Cercetare
(Bukarest, Rumänien) - Innovationscenter for Okologisk Landbrug P/S (Innovation Centre for Organic Farming) (ICOEL)
(Aarhus, Dänemark) - European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB)
(Brüssel, Belgien) -
Estonian University of Life Sciences
(Tartu, Estland) -
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
(Bonn, Deutschland) - Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI)
(Ås, Norwegen) - Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE)
(Brüssel, Belgien) - Associazione Nazionale Allevatori della Razza Frisona, Bruna e Jersey Italiana (ANAFIBJ)
(Cremona, Italien) - Università degli studi della Basilicata (UNIBAS)
(Potenza, Italien) - Schweißfurth Stiftung
(München, Deutschland) - Hellenic Agricultural Organization (ELGO DIMITRA)
(Athen, Griechenland)
Funding Body
-
European Union (EU)
(international, öffentlich)
Duration
6.2024 - 5.2027
More Information
Project funding number: 101133326
Funding program: EU - Horizon Europe
Project status:
ongoing
Publications
- 0
Whalin L, Barth K, Bertelsen M, Bokkers EAM, Ferneborg S, Haskell MJ, Ivemeyer S, Jensen MB, Johanssen JRE, Mejdell CM, Mughal M, Neave HW, Vaarst M, van Knegsel A, van Zyl CL, Wegner CS, Johnsen JF (2025) Invited review : Future directions for cow-calf contact research and sustainable on-farm applications. J Dairy Sci 108(7):6550-6564, DOI:10.3168/jds.2024-26201
- 1
Sirovnik J, Simon R, Vogt A, Barth K, Smith S, Waiblinger S, Lühken G, König von Borstel U (2025) Relative telomere length in dairy calves and dams undergoing two different methods of weaning and separation after three months of contact. PLOS One 20(3):e0319156, DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0319156
- 2
Magierski V, Barth K, Waiblinger S (2025) The effects of cow-calf-contact rearing on dairy animals’ social traits - a pilot study. Appl Anim Behav Sci 284:106548, DOI:10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106548
- 3
Barth K, Johnsen JF, Haskell M, Ivemeyer S, Vaarst M (2025) The lives of calves from organic dairy farms. Burleigh Dodds Ser Agric Sci 153:99-130, DOI:10.19103/AS.2024.0138.07
- 4
Vogt A, Barth K, Waiblinger S, König von Borstel U (2024) Can a gradual weaning and separation process reduce weaning distress in dam-reared dairy calves? A comparison with the 2-step method. J Dairy Sci 107(8):5942-5961, DOI:10.3168/jds.2024-23809
- 5
Vogt A, Barth K, Schneider M, König von Borstel U, Waiblinger S (2024) Dairy calves' time spent in the cow herd in a calf-driven cow-calf contact system during two-step separation with a nose flap. Appl Anim Behav Sci 280:106399, DOI:10.1016/j.applanim.2024.106399
- 6
Schneider M, Umstätter C, Nasser H-R, Gallmann E, Barth K (2024) Effect of the daily duration of calf contact on the dam's ultradian and circadian activity rhythms. JDS Commun 5(5):457-461, DOI:10.3168/jdsc.2023-0465
- 7
Schneider M, Barth K, Stachowicz J, Gallmann E, Umstätter C (2024) Method comparison to analyse the activity rhythm of dairy cows during early lactation. In: Spink A, Riedel G, Truong K, Robinson L (eds) Proceedings of Measuring Behavior 2024 : 13th International Conference on Methods and Techniques in Behavioral Research in Aberdeen, Scotland, May 15 – 17. London: figshare, pp 391-395, DOI:10.6084/m9.figshare.25897855
- 8
Barth K, Bullmann A (2024) Nutzung des Liegeboxenlaufstalles durch Kälber in einem System der muttergebundenen Aufzucht. KTBL Schr 11541:228-230
- 9
Barth K (2024) Pros and cons of cow-calf-contact systems in dairy farming - can we use established indicators? In: Gross JJ, Bruckmaier RM (eds) Proceedings of the joint conference BOLFA & ICFAE : August 28-30 2024, Bern, Switzerland. Bern: University of Bern, p 21, DOI:10.48350/198657
- 10
Vogt A, König von Borstel U, Waiblinger S, Palme R, Barth K (2023) Fecal cortisol metabolites reflect transport stress in 3-month-old dairy calves pre- and postweaning: A pilot study. J Dairy Sci 106(3):2124-2136, DOI:10.3168/jds.2022-22341
- 11
Vogt A, Barth K, Waiblinger S, König von Borstel U (2023) Reduction of weaning stress in dam-reared dairy calves : A gradual weaning and separation method leads to pleasing weight gains during the weaning process. IDF Anim Health Rep(17):14-15
- 12
Schneider M, Umstätter C, Nasser H-R, Gallmann E, Barth K (2023) Vorläufige Ergebnisse zum Einfluss der muttergebundenen Kälberaufzucht auf die ultra- und circadiane Aktivitätsrhythmik von Milchkühen. In: Bibic V, Schmidtke K (eds) One step ahead - einen Schritt voraus! : Beiträge zur 16. Wissenschaftstagung Ökologischer Landbau, 07.-10. März 2023, Frick (CH), FiBL Campus. 1. Auflage. Berlin: Verlag Dr Köster, pp 454-455
- 13
Barth K, Bock A, Breden AN, Dwinger H, Dwinger S, Gleissner F, Häußermann A, Jensen M, Kubera J, Kubera E, Kuckelkorn J, Lotterhos A, Miesorski M, Möller H, Otterbach J, Peschel U, Petersen J, Tams-Detlefsen U, Teschemacher M, Teschemacher F, Volling O (2022) Kuhgebundene Kälberaufzucht in der Milchviehhaltung : Leitfaden für die Praxis. Rendsburg, Westerau, Kiel: Bioland-Verl; Thünen-Institut für Ökologischen Landbau; Christian-Albrechts-Universität, 115 p
- 14
Barth K (2022) Milchkuh und Kalb: am besten vereint! Landwirt(1):28-31
- 15
Barth K (2022) Muttergebundene Kälberaufzucht. In: Niedersächsisches Tierschutzsymposium (ed) Tagungsband 13. Niedersächsisches Tierschutzsymposium : in Oldenburg am 17. und 18. März 2022. Hannover ; Wardenburg: Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz ; Niedersächisches Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit, pp 39-46
- 16
Barth K (2021) Back to the future: re-introduction of cow-calf contact into dairy farming requires new knowledge. Book of Abstracts Ann Meet EAAP 27: 479
- 17
Vogt A, Waiblinger S, Barth K, König von Borstel U (2021) Don´t forget the dams. Stress reactions of dairy cows to two different weaning and separation methods in cow-calf-contact systems. In: Dwyer CM, Harris M, Rahman SA, Waiblinger S, Rodenburg TB (eds) "Developing animal behaviour and welfare: Real solutions for real problems" : Proceedings of the 54th Congress of the ISAE, 2-6 August 2021 ; Online congress. p 126
- 18
Waiblinger S, Magierski V, Barth K (2021) Early maternal contact affects dairy animals´ spontaneous social behaviour and sociality. In: Dwyer CM, Harris M, Rahman SA, Waiblinger S, Rodenburg TB (eds) "Developing animal behaviour and welfare: Real solutions for real problems" : Proceedings of the 54th Congress of the ISAE, 2-6 August 2021 ; Online congress. p 57
- 19
Barth K, Vogt A, König von Borstel U, Waiblinger S (2021) Effects of two weaning and separation methods on milk yield of dams nursing their calf. Book of Abstracts Ann Meet EAAP 27: 482
- 20
Barth K (2021) Kuhgebundene Kälberhaltung - und was ist mit der Milch? In: Tagungsband / 21. Jahrestagung der WGM : 05. - 06. Oktober 2021 ; Online-Veranstaltung. Potsdam: WGM, pp 25-28
- 21
Vogt A, Waiblinger S, König von Borstel U, Barth K (2021) Vocalisations don´t lie? Comparison of stress responses to two different weaning methods in dam-reared dairy calves. In: Boyle L, O'Driscoll K (eds) Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on the Assessment of Animal Welfare at Farm and Group level : WAFL 2021 ; Cork, Ireland, August 16-19, 2021. Wageningen: Wageningen Academic Publ, p 85
- 22
Vogt A, Waiblinger S, König von Borstel U, Barth K (2020) Vergleich des Absetzens via Anti-Saug-Bügel und gradueller Reduktion der Kontaktzeit hinsichtlich der Stressbelastung für Kuh und Kalb in der muttergebundenen Milchkälberaufzucht. KTBL Schr 520:68-78
