The participatory on-farm research work within Work package 1 in SOLID builds on the research topics that were identified jointly with farming stakeholders. Research topics suggested in the workshops that took place after the sustainability assessments included home-grown protein sources, forage production, feeding, soil and nutrient management, choice of breeds, animal health, product differentiation and marketing, and environmental issues. Further discussions in each country have led to agreement between the research partner and the SME as to what on-farm projects will be carried out. Priority was given to topics that were suitable for research involving farmers and to topics that were of importance to the SOLID partners, SMEs and their producer members.
Here you see a brief presentation of the on-going participatory work in each country:
Austria: Biodiversity on dairy farms of Sennerei Hatzenstädt
Finland: Increase home-grown protein production (forage and concentrate) in organic dairy farming
Spain: Use of by-product in the overall feeding strategy of low-input dairy goat farms
Greece: Grazing behaviour, milk yield and quality of goats grazing on irrigated pasture
Romania: Potential of alternative feeds for ruminants in low-input systems
Denmark:
1: Farmer field schools for climate friendly farming
2: Long term pastures with herbs
Italy: Climate friendly organic milk production
UK:
1: Monitoring performance of a system leaving calves suckling with milking cows
2: Productivity of diverse swards and mob grazing
3: Diverse swards farm comparison
4: Soil and pasture productivity
5: Discussion group to reduce antibiotic use
……………………….6: Cow nutrition and health