Climate Care Cattle Farming Systems

Development of climate smart care cattle farming systems reducing GHG and ammonia emissions.

Mid-term Report

Mid-term Report

Mid-term Report

Work-package 1: Field monitoring and assessment

  • - The description of 60 field study farms, spread over 8 European countries, is in a final stage of preparation.
  • - A report/article about emission measurements techniques is ready.
  • - Guidelines and a video have been prepared to be used by all partners for collecting air samples for ammonia and GHG measurements in the barns of the field study farms.
  • - GHG and ammonia are measured during the 1st farm visit on the field study farms; most partners succeeded to do this in spring 2021; the partners were dealing with the Covid restrictions in different ways during these visits.
  • - Data are collected to compare three nutrient management tools and gain an impression of the NPC situation on the field study farms
  • - Interaction took place during the kitchen table interviews with the farmers about farm and farmer characteristics and opinions were gathered about how to reduce GHG and ammonia emissions. A report is in preparation.
  • - Above info and data will be used to prepare plans for each field study farm to deal with the reduction of emissions on their farm.

Work-package 2: In depth monitoring of emissions

  • - The Experiments on experimental and field study farms have started; especially experiments have started to reduce ammonia and methane emission from various floor systems and storages in comparable small barns, which barn units have controlled air input and output.
  • - Continuous emission measurements on grassland (grazing and fertilization practices) in France continue.
  • - Grass species, soil and land biodiversity aspects research on field plots is set-up by the Scottish, France, Polish and Latvian partners.
  • - The genetic cow methane experiment in Germany is progressing very well; about 2000 cow observations have been monitored, measuring their methane output from the mouth.

Work-package 5: Dissemination and communication

  • A Kick-Off meeting took place on 4-6th of March, 2020 in Wageningen, the Netherlands.
  • - A website is functioning from the beginning on (www.CCCfarming.eu ).
  • - A webinar about “Vision on reducing emissions on dairy farm level” was held on Friday 16 April 2021. Four introductions were given by CCCfarming related speakers. 70 participants from all over the world joined. Info about the seminar can be found on the website.
  • - Guidelines and a video have been prepared to be used by all partners for collecting air samples for ammonia and GHG measurements in the barns.
  • - The description of all 60 field study farms, spread over 8 European countries, is in a final stage of preparation.
  • - A report/article about emission measurements techniques is ready.
  • - Interaction took place during the kitchen table interviews with the farmers about farm and farmer characteristics and opinion about how to reduce ammonia and GHG emissions. A report is in preparation.
  • - Two videos were prepared: about functioning of the Cow-Toilet and about a sand pack as lying area for the cows combined with innovative techniques of the urine and faces handling in such a freewalk system.

Due to the delay because of Covid, the planning of the project is adjusted to the granted extension of 30st of June 2023.