Review: Exploring the use of Precision Livestock Farming for small ruminant welfare management

Small ruminant (sheep and goat) production of meat and milk is undertaken in diverse topographical and climatic environments and the systems range from extensive to intensive. This could lead to different types of welfare compromise, which need to be managed. Implementing Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) and other new or innovative technologies could help to manage or monitor animal welfare. This paper explores such opportunities, seeking to identify promising aspects of PLF that may allow improved management of welfare for small ruminants using literature search (2 reviews), workshops in 9 countries (France, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Norway, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom) with 254 stakeholders, and panels with 52 experts. An investigation of the main welfare challenges that may affect sheep and goats across the different management systems in Europe was undertaken, followed by a prioritisation of animal welfare issues obtained in the 9 countries. This suggested that disease and health issues, feed access and undernutrition/malnutrition, maternal behaviour/offspring losses, environmental stressors and issues with agonistic behavioural interactions were important welfare concerns. These welfare issues and their indicators (37 for sheep, 25 for goats) were categorised into four broad welfare indicator categories: weight loss or change in body state (BWC), behavioural change (BC), milk yield and quality (MY), and environmental indicators (Evt). In parallel, 24 potential PLF and innovative technologies (8 for BWC; 10 for BC; 4 for MY; 6 for Evt) that could be relevant to monitor these broad welfare indicator categories and provide novel approaches to manage and monitor welfare have been identified. Some technologies had the capacity to monitor more than one broad indicator. Out of the 24 technologies, only 12 were animal-based sensors, or that could monitor the animal individually. One alternative could be to incorporate a risk management approach to welfare, using aspects of environmental stress. This could provide an early warning system for the potential risks of animal welfare compromise and alert farmers to the need to implement mitigation actions

EuroSheep: End users assessments of flock health and nutrition Best Practices

A series of 96 Best Practices (BP) addressing sheep health and nutrition issues suggested by the 8 partner countries in the EuroSheep project were identified. During the 3rd national workshops series undertaken in each EuroSheep country, stakeholders selected their 10 most preferred best practices from other countries. These 51 preferred BPs have then been the subjects of cost benefit analyses and the sustainability impacts of their implementation have been evaluated. A total of 147 assessments on 44 different best practices (24 health and 20 nutrition) were subsequently completed by farmers who implemented the practice or by farmers, veterinarians, advisors or other stakeholders who experienced the outcomes of the implementation of the practice. Commercial farmers, research farm staff and veterinarians completed 98, 15 and 34 assessments, respectively. Completed assessments indicated whether the respondent implemented the practice, and the equipment, cost, specific labour and prerequisites required to implement it, as well as the overall acceptance, observed benefits, implementation facility and potential limits to implementation. Overall, most of the BPs implemented received a good satisfaction rating (68%) and only 2 received a poor satisfaction rating. For some of them (27%), assessments were contradictory depending on the farming systems

Sm@RT: Identifying sheep and goats farmers' technological needs and potential solutions

Session 68 - Théâtre 5International audienceSm@RT (Sm@ll Ruminant Technology) is a thematic network, involving 8 countries, with the objective of improving the uptake of digital and precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies by sheep and goat producers, for labour efficiency and farm profitability. In 2023, representatives of the nine partners undertook a fact-finding tour to New Zealand (NZ) to study (1) the use and uptake of innovative PLF approaches; (2) barriers to PLF uptake; and (3) means to facilitate PLF uptake, for the small ruminant sectors. Similar barriers exist in NZ as in EU, namely cost, perceived lack of return on investment, lack of producer interest, additional management input, ease to use, lack of follow-up support, data interoperability and network coverage. A further issue identified in NZ is the absence of compulsory electronic identification (EID) in sheep. Simple tools instead are used at flock level (not at animal level), e.g. weight crate and manual drafting systems to sort lambs according to weight. As in EU, PLF uptake in NZ is higher in the dairy sector (sheep and goat) both for genetic and flock management. For the emerging dairy sheep sector, some companies propose a PLF package that includes digital tools, advice and training for uptake by their suppliers. Findings from the study tour suggest the following steps for PLF uptake: (1) identify issues at farm level; (2) determine if they can be solved without PLF; (3) if not, identify potential relevant PLF tools; (4) purchase and transfer the technology. The use of digital technologies by NZ researchers is important and can inspire EU researchers for digital, landscape management and agroecological studie

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/