When the calves frolic around the large cowshed, Anina Vogt is delighted. The agricultural scientist has dedicated her research to animal welfare. Her current focus is on mother-bonded calf rearing. This is a husbandry concept in which cows suckle their calves and are milked at the same time. Research into this concept is being conducted at the Thünen Institute of Organic Farming in Trenthorst, where Anina Vogt works as part of the TranformDairyNet knowledge and innovation network.

"Our goal is to make it easier for more European farms to switch to mother-bonded rearing," says the researcher. In order to pool knowledge and experience, but also to identify obstacles, she conducted a Europe-wide survey last year. A total of 1,262 farms and other stakeholders from the dairy sector took part. The agricultural scientist considers this a great success. She has no shortage of success anyway: in 2025, she was awarded a research prize for outstanding achievements in the further development of species-appropriate animal husbandry for her dissertation.

When asked about the highlights of her research, the scientist herself focuses on working with the animals. She particularly enjoys observing behaviour and generally collecting data in the barn. "Seeing how mother and calf play together – that really moves you," she says. But she also finds evaluating the data exciting. This shows, for example, what effects certain management changes have on animal welfare.

Vogt is impressed by the fact that the Thünen Institute of Organic Farming conducts such application-oriented research. "Farmers make a major contribution to our society. As an agricultural scientist, helping to develop new concepts for practical application is a wonderful task," says the researcher. She hopes that even more farms will dare to make the transition to greater sustainability and animal welfare in the future. At the same time, she is aware of the challenges: improving animal welfare usually costs more money initially, and farms have largely been left to finance this themselves up to now. Something needs to change quickly.

But Vogt remains optimistic. The area of mother-bonded rearing offers potential for change.  "It is relatively easy to convey to customers that calves should grow up with their mothers," she explains, emphasising: "Individuals with commitment can achieve a lot here."

When asked if she has a vision, Vogt says: "Since the Borchert Commission, we have a good roadmap, including financing proposals and a feasibility study. For animal husbandry, no further visions are needed for the time being. We must finally start taking action."