H2020 CowficieNcy Project: Updating and implementing mathematical models to increase nitrogen use efficiency in lactating dairy cows.
- Type Project
- Status Filled
- Execution 2018 -2023
- Assigned Budget 994.500,00 €
- Scope Europeo
- Main source of financing H2020
- Project website CowficieNcy
Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for food production, but its widespread use has led to the nitrogen cascade phenomenon, with considerable effects on atmospheric, freshwater, and marine systems. Increasing nitrogen use efficiency in dairy production is proposed as a key action to reduce nitrogen pollution, and mathematical models provide a powerful tool to contribute to this. We plan to use two models: the Cornell Net Carbohydrate-Protein System (CNCPS; a cow-based model) and the Lifetime Nitrogen Efficiency (LNE; a herd-based model).
The models will be updated based on amino acid metabolism (CNCPS), heifer growth, and cattle fertility and economics (LNE), increasing not only their accuracy but also their commercial potential. In parallel, an intensive outreach program will involve farms in each country to describe the nitrogen balance situation. This step will allow farms the time needed to familiarize themselves and adapt to the current use of the models. The final phase of the project consists of implementing the updated models on our pilot farms.
This will provide a real-life example that can drive a shift in agricultural practices toward a more efficient and less polluting dairy industry. The European Union has taken several initiatives, both at the research level (e.g., the FP7 RedNex project) and at the legislative level (e.g., Directive 2001/81/EC on National Emission Ceilings, currently under review), to reduce nitrogen pollution from dairy production. However, few strategies have been implemented in agricultural practice due to the lack of any implemented measures linking research strategies to the dairy industry.
This is the strength of the current project, which has four non-academic partners advising thousands of European dairy farms and six European and American academic institutions, two of which developed the models, but all of which enjoy great prestige in their countries and internationally.
Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for food production, but its widespread use has led to the N cascade phenomenon, with significant effects on atmospheric, freshwater, and marine systems. Increasing N use efficiency in dairy production is proposed as a key action to reduce N pollution, and mathematical models provide a powerful tool to assist with this.
We plan to use two models: the Cornell Net Carbohydrate-Protein System (CNCPS; a cow-based model) and the Lifetime Nitrogen Efficiency (LNE; a herd-based model). The models will be updated for amino acid metabolism (CNCPS), heifer growth, and cattle fertility and economics (LNE), increasing not only their accuracy but also their commercial potential. In parallel, an intensive outreach program will recruit farms in each country to describe the N balance situation. This step will provide the necessary time to familiarize and adapt the farms to use the current model. The final phase of the project involves implementing the updated models on our pilot farms.
This will provide a real-life example that can lead to a shift in agricultural practices toward a more efficient and less polluting dairy industry. The European Union has adopted several initiatives, either at the research level (e.g., the FP-7 RedNex project) or at the legislative level (e.g., the National Emission Ceilings Directive 2001/81/EC, currently under review) to reduce nitrogen pollution from dairy production. However, few strategies have been translated into agricultural practice due to the lack of an implemented step linking research strategies with the dairy industry.
This is the key focus of the current project, which includes four non-academic partners advising on thousands of European dairy farms and six European and American academic institutions, two of which developed the models, but all of which are highly regarded in their countries and internationally.
Towards a more efficient cow Researchers are using mathematical models to help farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural sector improve the efficiency of nitrogen use on dairy farms. Food & Natural Resources Icon Food & Natural Resources Milk may be good for the body, but the nitrogen that goes into producing it is not so good. In fact, excessive nitrogen use can have a negative impact on the environment and animals. “Dairy cows are good at producing highly nutritious food for us from feed we can’t eat,” explains Andreas Foskolos, Associate Professor of Animal Sciences at the University of Thessaly.
“However, they can have negative impacts on the wider environment by excreting excess nitrogen.” With support from the EU-funded CowficieNcy project, Foskolos and his team are helping dairy farms better manage this excess nitrogen. It starts with the cycle. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient used by farmers and, if used correctly, can be a key factor in increasing milk production. That’s why dairy cattle are regularly fed diets rich in protein, and therefore nitrogen. However, not everything a cow eats is put to good use. Just like in humans, what isn’t used leaves the body as waste. But unlike humans, instead of being flushed down the toilet, this nitrogen-rich excrement is recycled as fertilizer—and this is where problems often arise. “Nitrogen is a dynamic element that transforms into molecules that plants can’t use,” Foskolos says.
"Instead, they move to other environments where they accumulate, causing contamination of water supplies and air." While the nitrogen cycle has been thoroughly studied, Foskolos says little has been done to translate this knowledge into practical solutions for reducing nitrogen pollution on dairy farms. "Our goal was to provide tools that can help the dairy industry adopt more efficient and less polluting production methods."
Mathematical Models for Better Nitrogen Management One of the key tools was the improvement of two mathematical models, one based on cows and one on herds. With the aim of helping dairy farms better manage nitrogen, the models were implemented on several pilot farms across Europe. “These pilot farms experienced an improvement in their nutritional management, resulting in greater milk nitrogen use efficiency and, consequently, a reduction in nitrogen pollution from cow milk production,” notes Foskolos. Specifically, the CowficieNcy approach demonstrated a significant improvement in milk use efficiency, from 29% to 34%.
Furthermore, thanks to the improvements made to the cow-based model, the state of nitrogen use efficiency of non-productive animals was assessed. “By allowing us to recognize weaknesses in heifer rearing, we were able to implement practical advances at the farm level to comprehensively increase the farm’s overall nitrogen use efficiency,” adds Foskolos. Bringing together academic and non-academic stakeholders To ensure its work made the transition from pilot to practice, the project, which received support from the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions program, created a dynamic training environment for both academic and non-academic staff. “On the one hand, academic staff interacted with real-life on-farm situations and gained experience with everyday problems affecting both agricultural productivity and its environmental impact,” concludes Foskolos. “On the other hand, non-academic staff interacted with academic staff, gaining access to top-tier laboratories, expertise, and fundamental skills such as mathematical modeling.”
Many of the project's results have also been published in prestigious journals and presented at international events. The research team is currently seeking to further explore the relationship between amino acid requirements and energy intake in dairy cattle.
- PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS (UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY - UTH)
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