Ruminants

Optimized Grazing: for increased economic and ecological sustainability in Swedish milk production

Close-up on red and white cows on pasture. Photo.

How can you maintain milk yield after moving to pasture by adapting the feeding before the grazing period?

Small dairy herds are needed in a sustainable Swedish food production!

In this three year long project, “The role of small-scale dairy cattle production in a sustainable and robust Swedish food supply”, we will map small-scale dairy herds in Sweden, and identify opportunities and obstacles for these herds to continuing producing sustainable dairy products in the future.

Getting to grips with the etiology of digital dermatitis

Digital dermatitis is a leading cause of lameness in dairy cattle, it is an animal welfare problem and leads to economic losses for the farmers. The etiology of the disease is still under debate.

Performance index - a method for calculation of present value for each cow

Why does a dairy cow stay in her herd for such a short time? There is evidence that we place too much value on heifers. This project will develop an objective method for comparing cows and heifers.

Cow and calf together

Can the calf be together with the cow in a system with automatic milking? How does it affect milk yield and calf growth, health and fertility? In this research project, we study how calves can be integrated into such care systems.

Carbon, co- and cow-benefits and/or trade-offs from livestock grazing in the Miombo

Miombo forest with trees and grazing cattle. Photo.

How do livestock farming and grazing in the Miombo forests affect the soil's carbon storage, species composition and production?

Widening the harvest window of ley by increasing stubble height

Could impaired nutritional quality from delayed harvest of ley be counteracted by increasing the stubble height drastically and how would the total annual yield and quality then be affected?

Sustainable food production in Swedish dairy farming

Cow on pasture, with its head inside a feeding machine. Photo.

This project will investigate the most economical and sustainable way of achieving less methane (CH4) from Swedish dairy production by composing low-emitting diets based on resources that cannot be directly utilized as food for humans.

Improved sustainability in dairy production by increased feed efficiency

This project aims to improve feed efficiency (FE) in dairy production by introducing new technology and digitalization (analysis of large data) and thereby develop new practical methods to include FE in dairy cattle genetic improvement, feeding and managements. The results of the project will significantly improve sustainability, profitability and decrease the environmental footprint of the value chain. We will evaluate modern and highly accurate on-line technologies for determining gas exchanges and FE of dairy cows.

SEAFEED

The environmental impact of dairy cows (i.e. ruminants) has received a lot of attention from society and the scientific community, primarily focusing on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The ruminants account for a significant proportion of methane emissions due to their enteric fermentation.

SEASOLUTIONS

Ruminant livestock account for about half of the total greenhouse gas production in agriculture, where a large proportion of the emissions come from their digestion (enteric fermentation). Policies can be combined with information to consumers and investments in research to achieve climate and environmental goals . In the dairy industry, it is desired to produce milk with zero climate footprint, for example by increasing the carbon storage on farms, reducing the consumption of fossil fuels, increasing the biodiversity and using feed with as little climate impact as possible.

Reducing methane production of stored manure from dairy cows using Asparagopsis Taxiformis

A bottle with tube sinserted in the lid. Photo.

The objective of this project is to investigate the hypothesis that methane production could be further reduced from stored manure in dairy cows supplemented with Asparagopsis taxiformis.

Grazing under northern conditions

Grazing can be a cheap way of feeding and, as the growing season gets longer, the possibility for increased use of this resource in northern areas is improving. There are however not many studies or data on grazing for dairy cows in northern Sweden.

Blueberry taint in milk

The taste and smell of milk can sometimes be disrupted. One of the problems is when the milk has the scent and taste of blueberries. This can affect the quality of an entire milk silo at the dairy and the quality of the products made of it.

Rangeland and livestock management practices for improved livelihood in miombo woodlands in Tanzania

Livestock herd grazing in woodland. Photo.

The general objective of this project is to enhance food security in Tanzania through improved rangeland and livestock management practices in miombo woodlands.

Can the red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis reduce methane production in dairy cows?

In this project, the effect of red algae on methane production and on the feed digestibility for Swedish dairy cows is tested.

Precision livestock breeding – improving both health and production in dairy cattle

Agricultural systems need to improve in order to meet future challenges of an increasing human population and at the same time ensure good animal welfare and a minimal ecological footprint. This project focuses on how to improve animal welfare and health in dairy cattle production using sensor technology, with the potential to minimize antibiotic use by improving tools for disease control and management.

Management for improved efficiency by increased cow longevity in dairy herds

Close-up of black and white dairy cow eating roughage. Photo.

It is only when the cow has calved and starts producing milk that she gives an income to the milk producer and it is after the second lactation the income covers the cow's rearing costs.

Cow and calf together

Is it possible to keep dairy cows and their calves together in automatic milking systems? What are the effects on milk yield, calf growth, health and fertility? In this research project, we study how calves can be integrated into such systems.

Indilact II

Close up of milk machine and udder. Photo.

The aim of this project is to develop and test decision support tools to identify multiparous cows that benefit from an extended lactation length.

New mower technology for fractionation into two qualities at ley harvest

A bunch of forage crop that someone holds in their hand to the camera. Photo.

The project investigates the biological conditions for separating a ley crop into two vertical strata fractions with different nutritional quality at mowing.

Managing forage shortage crises with forest by-products

An SRB cow peeking out from behind a tree. Photo.

The aim of the project is to provide solutions for using unprocessed or nutritionally upgraded forest by-products as ruminant feed during forage shortage crises.

Forage efficient cows - good for the cows and the environment

SRB cow at feeding table in a barn. Photo.

The overall objective of this project is to minimize the need for human-edible feed in dairy production and at the same time reduce enteric methane emission, with maintained good animal health and performance.

Find the forage-efficient cows and increase profitability

Cow eating silage from a feeding table. Photo.

Is it possible to identify dairy cows with high forage intake capacity?

Milk production with extensively processed silage for increased forage intake

Doctoral student managing extruder machine with silage. Photo.

The aim of the project is to investigate how much extensive mechanical processing of silage can increase the forage intake in dairy cows and hereby reduce the requirement for concentrates.

Milking technique

The aim is to improve milking technology and milking routines to ensure that the udder is emptied as well as possible with good udder health and animal welfare.

On the same wavelength - the effect of LED light on activity and production in dairy cows

Cows in a tied-stall barn in pink and purple LED lights. Photo.

The aim of the project is to study effects of LED-light on milk production and activity in dairy cows.

INDILACT - Individually adapted lactations lengths

The aim of the project is to develop tools which can be used for individually adapted lactation lengths based on the biological conditions of the cow.

Is it possible to combine high forage consumption with low methane emissions from milk cows?

Three dairy cows at blue and white feeding trays. Photo.

The purpose of the project is to investigate whether cows who have the capacity to consume large amounts of roughage have different microflora in the rumen than low-capacity cows, and if the composition of the microorganisms and methane formation is associated with the passage rate.

Improved utilization of regionally grown protein feeds for Swedish dairy cows

The goal with this project was to make it possible for Swedish dairy farms to replace imported, soy based protein feed with on farm processed concentrate based on home-grown or regionally grown Swedish protein sources as field beans, peas and rapeseed.

Optimized Grazing: for increased economic and ecological sustainability in Swedish milk production

Small dairy herds are needed in a sustainable Swedish food production!

Getting to grips with the etiology of digital dermatitis

Performance index - a method for calculation of present value for each cow

Cow and calf together

Carbon, co- and cow-benefits and/or trade-offs from livestock grazing in the Miombo

Widening the harvest window of ley by increasing stubble height

Sustainable food production in Swedish dairy farming

Improved sustainability in dairy production by increased feed efficiency

SEAFEED

SEASOLUTIONS

Reducing methane production of stored manure from dairy cows using Asparagopsis Taxiformis

Grazing under northern conditions

Blueberry taint in milk

Rangeland and livestock management practices for improved livelihood in miombo woodlands in Tanzania

Can the red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis reduce methane production in dairy cows?

Precision livestock breeding – improving both health and production in dairy cattle

Management for improved efficiency by increased cow longevity in dairy herds

Cow and calf together

Indilact II

New mower technology for fractionation into two qualities at ley harvest

Managing forage shortage crises with forest by-products

Forage efficient cows - good for the cows and the environment

Find the forage-efficient cows and increase profitability

Milk production with extensively processed silage for increased forage intake

Milking technique

On the same wavelength - the effect of LED light on activity and production in dairy cows

INDILACT - Individually adapted lactations lengths

Is it possible to combine high forage consumption with low methane emissions from milk cows?

Improved utilization of regionally grown protein feeds for Swedish dairy cows

FreeWalk – an innovative way to keep dairy cows

Improved detection of mastitis in dairy cows

Beijer Laboratory for Animal Science (BLAS)

Quality assesment for increased profitability in production of aged cheese