ØKO-HOLDBAR

Longevity in dairy cows plays a significant role in production economics, animal welfare, and climate/environmental impact. The first two years of a cow's life - until she calves for the first time - she does not produce milk but still eats, defecates, and urinates. These two unproductive years result in costs for the farmer and the emission of greenhouse gases (primarily methane) and nutrients. All things being equal the carbon footprint per kg of milk produced in the cow's lifetime will be smaller the older the cow gets. The problem is that the incidence of diseases also increases with age, which affects animal welfare. For organic farmers, diseases are also a particular economic burden. Diseases are more expensive to treat, and there are greater restrictions on the sale of milk from cows that have been treated than there are for conventional cows. Therefore, one cannot expect the optimal longevity to be the same in organic and conventional herds.

Milk production must be responsible and sustainable. In this context, consumers likely see minimal climate impact and optimal animal welfare as particularly important elements. Consumers probably assume that organic cows typically live longer than conventional cows, although this is not currently the case.

Optimal longevity is not necessarily as old as possible. Optimal longevity is influenced by a wide range of factors that often affect each other in complicated ways. Considering the great importance of dairy cow longevity, surprisingly little research has been done in this area. Research on longevity in organic herds is almost non-existent, even though optimal longevity is likely different in organic herds than in conventional ones.

Project Purpose 

This project will develop a model that can predict the optimal longevity in individual dairy herds. The model will take into account a number of herd-specific conditions and will optimize both production economy, carbon footprint, and animal welfare. Additionally, the project will investigate consumer attitudes and preferences regarding the longevity of organic dairy cows. This will enable better and more focused communication with consumers. Finally, the project will generate ideas for future barn systems for dairy cows, which can help minimize the risk of accidents, injuries, and hoof diseases, thereby improving cow longevity.

Researchers, in collaboration with farmers, will propose the optimal dairy barn of the future, where barns are built and designed to better consider both economy, animal welfare, and the climate.

Improved longevity among organic dairy cows is expected to reduce the carbon footprint per kg of milk, benefit the farmer's economy, improve cow welfare, and make milk production more responsible and socially acceptable.

The project is targeted at organic herds, but there is a high probability that the tool can also be used in conventional herds.

Project Step by Step 

ØKO-HOLDBAR will:

• develop a model that can predict the optimal longevity in individual dairy herds
• generate ideas for future barn systems for dairy cows to minimize the risk of accidents, injuries, and hoof diseases
• investigate consumer attitudes and preferences regarding the longevity of organic dairy cows

The project is a collaboration between Aarhus University, the University of Copenhagen, the advisory company Velas, and the software company SimHerd.