Project: Cows meet their natural needs through health-support, grazing and cow-calf-togetherness

Acronym GrazyDaiSy (Reference Number: 1871)
Duration 01/04/2018 - 01/04/2021
Project Topic Organic ruminant farming is based on grazing systems. Yet, specialized dairy production relies much on imported concentrate feed and the use of antibiotics and anthelminthics. Most calves are removed from their dam 1 day after birth, despite emphasis on naturalness. GrazyDaiSy aims at developing innovative, resilient and sustainable organic grazing-based dairy systems in different economic and agro-ecological contexts within Europe. This project aims to integrate the rearing of cows with young stock, e.g. allowing mother-infant contact, and to promote health to minimize anthelminthic and antibiotic use. We address several knowledge gaps and controversies related to grazing, animal health promoting strategies, and strategies to keep calves with their dam. GrazyDaiSy is based on participatory experimental and on-farm research, focused on innovative strategies for grazing-based dairy systems with dam-calf rearing and herds with mixed age groups, minimal antibiotic and anthelminthic use, and more natural behavior. We use nutritional, ethological, immunological, epidemiological, and qualitative research methods, recognizing that implementation of novel strategies requires technical knowledge, context specific approaches and understanding of perceptions and practices. Four scientific work packages (WPs) build on 4 hypotheses and are expected to deliver results on 1) Novel innovative grazing systems, 2) Sustainable maternal care, bonding and debonding between dam and calf, 3) Effective novel animal health and welfare promotion, and 4) Strategies and practices for resilience in a range of European dairy systems. A fifth WP ensures appropriate management and effective dissemination. The consortium’s 15 scientific and stakeholder partners from 8 countries represent a wide range of scientific expertise and levels of organic farming experience. The project builds on context-specific approaches, complementarities, synergies and mutual learnings across WPs and between partners.
Website visit project website
Network CORE Organic Cofund
Call CORE Organic Call 2016

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 Aarhus University Coordinator Denmark
2 Louis Bolk Institute Partner Netherlands
3 UMR1300 Biology Epidemiology and Rosk Analysis in animal health Partner France
4 Faculty of Agriculture, Animal Science Department Partner Türkiye
5 University Hohenheim Partner Germany
6 Estonian University of Life Sciences Partner Estonia
7 Norwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture Partner Norway
8 National Research Institute Of Animal Production Partner Poland
9 Wageningen University Partner Netherlands
10 Demeter e.V. Partner Germany
11 Wageningen Livestock Research Partner Netherlands
12 Organic Denmark Partner Denmark
13 Them Co-operative Dairy Production Partner Denmark
14 General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies / Sheep Breeding Research Institute Partner Türkiye
15 Bioland Beratung GmbH Partner Germany