EuroSheep: Cost benefit and Sustainability analysis of Health and Nutrition Best Practices

Within EuroSheep project, Best Practices (BP) answering sheep health and nutrition issues were suggested by partner countries and implemented by farmers in other partner countries to assess their suitability. Alongside this assessment, Cost-Benefit (CB) and Sustainability analyses (SA) were performed by the countries provided the 51 BP selected by stakeholders. CB analysis included additional costs of implementing the identified BP at farm level and/or savings in production costs and monetary benefits. SA assessed the impact of the identified BPs on environmental issues. The CB and SA templates included a description of farm/situation in which the analyses were performed. As several indicators such as energy consumption, farm inputs and productivity rates were common, the SA template was developed as a complement to the CB. Additional indicators refer to benefits, as animal welfare, better work environment, free time, etc. On the 51 BP analysed, 55% lead to an increase in working time, but 27% decrease feeding costs and 37% medicine costs. Most, 88%, lead to an increase of the outputs (meat or dairy). Regarding the SA, the 78% of BP increase the feed efficiency, 88% have a positive impact of animal welfare and 53% a positive impact on the atmosphere.<br/

EuroSheep: co-construction approaches to understand main needs of sheep farmers and define innovative solutions to improve the sector’s profitability

In EuroSheep, co-construction approaches are used to exchange knowledge and experience among sheep farmers, veterinarians, advisors and researchers. The aim is to engage stakeholders in a network that facilitates a better understanding of the sector needs and best practices. The main objectives are to improve sheep health, nutrition, and profitability. Stakeholders of the 8 country’s involved use both National and Transnational workshops to connect. In each country, farmers’ needs were identified, and relevant solutions cross-exchanged by the other countries. Currently, 45 of the 96 technical solutions created have stakeholder feedback on the benefits, and overall acceptance, these solutions were followed by a sustainability analysis. To increase farmer uptake, 26 factsheets, 53 ’tips and tricks’ and videos were produced

EuroSheep: co-construction approaches to understand main needs of sheep farmers and define innovative solutions to improve the sector’s profitability

In EuroSheep, co-construction approaches are used to exchange knowledge and experience among sheep farmers, veterinarians, advisors and researchers. The aim is to engage stakeholders in a network that facilitates a better understanding of the sector needs and best practices. The main objectives are to improve sheep health, nutrition, and profitability. Stakeholders of the 8 country’s involved use both National and Transnational workshops to connect. In each country, farmers’ needs were identified, and relevant solutions cross-exchanged by the other countries. Currently, 45 of the 96 technical solutions created have stakeholder feedback on the benefits, and overall acceptance, these solutions were followed by a sustainability analysis. To increase farmer uptake, 26 factsheets, 53 ’tips and tricks’ and videos were produced

EuroSheep: Cost benefit and Sustainability analysis of Health and Nutrition Best Practices

Within EuroSheep project, Best Practices (BP) answering sheep health and nutrition issues were suggested by partner countries and implemented by farmers in other partner countries to assess their suitability. Alongside this assessment, Cost-Benefit (CB) and Sustainability analyses (SA) were performed by the countries provided the 51 BP selected by stakeholders. CB analysis included additional costs of implementing the identified BP at farm level and/or savings in production costs and monetary benefits. SA assessed the impact of the identified BPs on environmental issues. The CB and SA templates included a description of farm/situation in which the analyses were performed. As several indicators such as energy consumption, farm inputs and productivity rates were common, the SA template was developed as a complement to the CB. Additional indicators refer to benefits, as animal welfare, better work environment, free time, etc. On the 51 BP analysed, 55% lead to an increase in working time, but 27% decrease feeding costs and 37% medicine costs. Most, 88%, lead to an increase of the outputs (meat or dairy). Regarding the SA, the 78% of BP increase the feed efficiency, 88% have a positive impact of animal welfare and 53% a positive impact on the atmosphere.<br/