H2020 4D4F Project: Data-Driven Dairy Decisions 4 Farmers
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2016 -2019
- Assigned Budget 1.999.671,25 €
- Scope Europeo
- Main source of financing Horizon 2020
- Project website Proyecto 4D4F
The 4D4F virtual Community of Practice (CoP) www.4D4F.eu contains 12 Special Interest Groups (SIGs): Udder Health, Reproduction, Nutrition, Metabolic Disease, Data Management, Milking Data, Activity and Behavior, Housing, Calves and Youngstock, Range Management, and Goats and Lameness. Each of these groups contains best practice guides, infographics, opinion pieces, case studies, and videos comparing and contrasting the different data technologies available.
There are 42 videos available showcasing best practices, insights, and different technologies. A technology repository allows users to identify and compare the functionality of commercial sensors available in each GIS. Standard operating procedures have been developed, published, and integrated into management systems. The CoP has a homepage where all industry stakeholders can share ideas and is a repository for other 4D4F reports, namely the Annual Research Priorities Report, the Dairy Sensor Research Report, and the Industry Innovations Report. Fifty-three events and workshops have been held, demonstrating the cutting-edge technology available and bringing together stakeholders to scale up best practices and develop standard operating procedures.
The "Data-Driven Decisions for Dairy Farmers" (4D4F) thematic network focused on the role that environmental and dairy animal sensors can play in gathering real-time information to support more informed decisions in dairy production. The network developed a Community of Practice (CoP) composed of farmers, farm advisors, technology providers, knowledge-sharing practitioners, and researchers who worked together to discuss, collect, and communicate best practices from innovative farmers, industry, and the research community to facilitate their co-creation. The results were communicated to farmers through good practice guides on sensor use and data analysis tools, supported by videos, infographics, and an online virtual repository of sensor technologies for dairy production. A survey was conducted within the CoP, and a research priorities report was produced and disseminated to researchers and funders.
The network included the development of farm-specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to help farmers and farm advisors adopt sensor and data analytics technology for dairy production. The SOPs were developed by COP working groups, which included farmers, farm advisors, technology providers, knowledge exchange professionals, and researchers. They worked together to develop farmer-friendly SOPs, turning data into practical decisions.
The online COP and published communication tools were complemented by on-farm events and workshops to support farmers and farm advisors in implementing innovative sensor and data analytics technologies. The workshops and events established new ways of combining technologies and promoted discussion among farmers and their colleagues on how best to use sensors and data analytics in their own businesses. This will generate local peer-to-peer support to facilitate the adoption of data-driven decision-making in the dairy sector. The network collaborated closely with EIP Agri and, at the Member State level, with existing EIP Operational Groups working with dairy data and sensors. Where suitable Operational Groups did not exist, it collaborated with local partners to develop new quasi-operational groups.
The Data Driven Dairy Decisions for Farmers (4D4F) thematic network will focus on the role that dairy animals and environmental sensors can play in gathering real-time information to support more informed decisions in dairy production. The network will develop a community of practice comprised of farmers, farm advisors, technology providers, knowledge-sharing practitioners, and researchers who will work together to discuss, collect, and communicate best practices drawn from innovative farmers, industry, and the research community to facilitate the co-creation of best practices. Results will be communicated to farmers using best practice guides on the use of sensors and data analytics tools supported by videos, infographics, and an online virtual repository of dairy sensor technologies. The network will include the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that can be tailored to individual farms to support farmers and farm advisors in adopting dairy sensor and data analytics technology.
The SOPs will be developed by Community of Practice working groups, including farmers, farm advisors, technology providers, knowledge-sharing professionals, and researchers, who will work together to develop farmer-friendly SOPs. The online Community of Practice and published communication tools will be complemented by on-farm events and workshops to help farmers and farm advisors implement innovative sensor and data analytics technologies.
The workshops and events will promote discussion among farmers and their peers on how best to use sensors and data analytics in their own businesses. This will lead to local peer-to-peer support to facilitate the adoption of data-driven dairy decision-making. The network will work closely with EIP Agri and, at the Member State level, will collaborate with existing EIP operational groups working on dairy data and sensors. Where appropriate operational groups do not exist, it will work with local partners to develop new operational groups.
4D4F addresses five of the six main reasons that have been identified as barriers to technology adoption by farmers (Bewley et al. 2013). These are: Farmers are unfamiliar with the technology; Farmers are confused by the information; Farmers don't have time to research available products; Farmers don't see the perceived value; the technology seems too complex. 4D4F has made it easier for farmers to invest, improved on-farm use of technology, brought together partners in research projects, encouraged business creation, and developed young talent. The increased adoption of sensor technology will not only improve animal welfare but will also help improve the quality of life of farmers themselves. Three additional developments beyond the state of the art were:
- Identify the benefits of combining thermal imaging cameras with accelerometer-based lameness alerts, which resulted in validation of the lameness alerts and enabled lameness treatment weeks before lameness became apparent to the farmer.
- Develop standard operating procedures that enable automated welfare assessment.
- Develop and integrate standard operating procedures for goat milk data into the farmdesk.eu management system.
- INNOVATION FOR AGRICULTURE
Related projects
