New ways to increase Europe’s sheep… – Information Centre – Research & Innovation

Sheep meat and milk generation is an critical marketplace in Europe, especially in nations like Ireland, France, Italy, Romania, Spain and the Uk. In truth, with 85 million sheep on 830 000 farms in the EU, moreover an extra 33 million sheep in Turkey, Europe’s flock is larger than Australia and New Zealand’s combined.

Nonetheless even with this huge quantity of sheep, Europe is only 85 % self-ample in sheep meat. As a consequence, the EU is the world’s 2nd biggest importer of sheep meat.

Driving this hole in self-sufficiency is a declining sheep marketplace. Considering that 2000, the quantity of sheep producers in the EU has declined by 50 %, and during the previous 10 several years sheep productiveness has lessened by up to 40 % (depending on the region and the farming program). 

“Different factors can demonstrate this decline, but the most important just one is lower sheep productiveness, or the quantity of lambs reared for every ewe joined on the farm,” suggests Jean-Marc Gautier, Main of Services at France’s Institut de l’Elevage.

On the other hand, inspite of this damaging development, Gautier sees substantial options for enhancing sheep productiveness. “By enhancing copy results and lamb survivability, we can make improvements to farm profitability and boost the self-sufficiency of sheep meat in Europe,” he suggests.

Supporting sheep farmers leverage these options is the EU-funded SheepNet undertaking, a network of the EU’s main sheep developing nations and Turkey. “Working with experts and shareholders, the undertaking made and shared solutions for increasing generation without the need of owning to export extra sheep meat,” provides Gautier.

Earning sheep generation a lot more beautiful

The project’s most important objective was to attain an boost in ewe productiveness of .1 lambs reared for every ewe joined. This would be the equal of 64 000 tonnes of sheep meat, consequently resulting in a web self-sufficiency of 92 %. Moreover, farmers would obtain an about EUR 10 boost for every extra .1 lamb marketed for every ewe joined.

“We are assured that these variations will make sheep generation a lot more beautiful for equally the existing and up coming generations of producers,” clarifies Gautier.

To attain this, the undertaking labored right with farmers, experts, and other stakeholders. Alongside one another, they determined solutions and best procedures for enhancing ewe productiveness and flock profitability.

“These solutions focused on anything from nourishment management during late pregnancy to colostrum management, triggers of lamb mortality and abortion, artificial rearing, ewe system problem score, and sheep shed management,” suggests Gautier. “We also developed a lambing stock and system for superior ram management.” 

In full, the undertaking produced forty two solutions, 88 strategies and methods, and 22 factsheets. All of these deliverables are readily available by way of the SheepNet local community system in 6 languages. Just about every contains comprehensive details on expected expenses and positive aspects, conditions, references, and feed-back from actual farmers.

Getting a huge effect

With these solutions in hand, scientists up coming turned in the direction of dissemination. “SheepNet is all about follow-pushed innovation and practical know-how sharing,” remarks Gautier. “Through our network, we promoted the implementation and dissemination of modern systems and procedures for enhancing sheep productiveness.”

Dissemination activities integrated the organisation of five workshops for every lover region (35 in full), moreover five transnational workshops and a closing summary seminar. Other activities integrated the generation of 19 push releases, 143 article content, 120 films, and 33 infographics – not to point out the use of different social media platforms.

According to Gautier, SheepNet’s solutions are previously owning a huge effect. “We’ve acquired substantial feed-back from farmers telling us how they are using our network and solutions to make improvements to flock productiveness, labour efficiency, and farm profitability,” concludes Gautier.

Based on the project’s results, scientists introduced EuroSheep, a spin-off Horizon 2020 undertaking focused on sheep health and fitness and nourishment. They are at this time working on a new precision livestock farming initiative.