Project description
A platform to control animal welfare in farming
Dairy cows and pigs represent the two livestock production systems with the highest share in Europe. Although the need for animal welfare is widely accepted as indispensable for sustainable farming, existing instruments to evaluate animal welfare are too slow and have high costs. Precision livestock farming (PLF) technology offers better control and ameliorates farming processes. The EU-funded ClearFarm project intends to use PLF technology along with animal-based data to increase animal welfare in the whole production chain. The platform will inform both production stakeholders and consumers on animal welfare status in the production systems, taking into consideration the geographical differences in Europe.
Objective
Animal welfare has become a fundamental aspect of livestock production. Current animal welfare assessment tools usually rely on momentary recordings and on awkward integration of various indicators with different units. Besides, existing tools to assess farm animal welfare are time consuming and costly. Precision livestock farming (PLF)-technology allows to monitor and optimise farming processes. PLF systems generate large volumes of on-farm data that can be used to monitor welfare in pigs and dairy cattle.
ClearFarm proposes to use PLF technology and integration of animal-based data, based on a blockchain approach, to enable improved animal welfare across the entire production chain. This will contribute to improved sustainable pig and dairy cattle production, the two livestock production systems with the highest shares in Europe.
ClearFarm aims to co-design, develop and validate a software platform powered by an algorithm integrating PLF data to provide animal welfare information, as well as other environmental and economic sustainability information that will assist (i) production chain stakeholders and (ii) consumers on decision making within the pig and dairy cattle value chains. Regulators, consumers and producers, policy makers, among other stakeholders, will get involved in the design of the new solution, seeking thus a multi-actor approach in most of the stages of the project.
The software platform will be capable to inform the welfare status in a variety of production systems, considering geographical divergences within production systems in Europe. The outcome of the algorithm will feed a user-friendly platform that will be adapted to inform the different targeted audiences. ClearFarm will assist producers in optimizing production process, but also for consumers to have more insight into the background of animal products, providing thus a better understanding of animal welfare.
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Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
08193 Cerdanyola Del Valles
Spain
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Participants (18)
Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
08193 Cerdanyola Del Valles
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08800 Vilanova I La Geltru
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
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1033 SE Amsterdam
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
7870 Roslev
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7644607 Rehovot
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
7722 RT Dalfsen
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6708 PB Wageningen
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20122 Milano
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8000 Aarhus C
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30003 Murcia
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00790 Helsinki
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30840 Alhama De Murcia
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
30840 Murcia
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13130 Hameenlinna
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
38460 Sastamala
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Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure.
61220 Myllysalo
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14400 Pozoblanco Cordoba
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7644607 RECHOVOT
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.