DairyMix is structured in five work packages

WP1 is dedicated to coordination and management.

WP2 collects data on case study farms, from databases and from OTICE, the online barn climate and emission control tool.

These data are then fed into WP3 for detailed modelling analysis on carbon and nutrient utilization and circularity of mixed farming systems for dairy production.

WP4 brings WP2 and WP3 together for a multi-criteria assessment of mixed farming systems for dairy production based on indicators for circularity and efficient resource use developed in WP2 and WP3.

WP5 details a range of communication and dissemination activities and hosts the interactive web application – the MilKey/DairyMix platform – to analyse farm data and to evaluate effects of changes in farming practice at farm and regional level with regard to environmental, economic and societal sustainability indicators. This output will have farmers and other stakeholders in the primary sector as target group, and is relevant for society and policy makers. All WPs are closely interconnected and collaboration between them is ensured via the stringent coordination and management plan.

  • WP1 - Coordination and Management

    • Project coordination and management, communication between partners
    • Timely delivery of high quality milestones and deliverables
    • Quality assurance and quality control via the scientific advisory board
    • Communication and interaction with projects from ERA Gas, ERA SusAn and ERA ICT
  • WP2 - Case studies, data from the extensive DATAMAN database, Eurostat data and data from OTICE, the online barn climate and emission control tool will be collected and analysed

    Assess mixed farming systems for dairy production, by means of dairy farm case study data and statistical data (e.g. Eurostat, national statistics), with specific focus on grassland and crops and their integration with dairy production (e.g. crop diversification level; protein/feed autonomy level); assess the integration between crops and dairy at farm scale and regional scale; assess non-circularity of current dairy systems (e.g. import of concentrates and mineral fertilisers) and opportunity for more feed autionomy and better utilisation of manure nutrients.

    • Characterise the grassland / cropping systems of the case study dairy farms
    • Characterise C and nutrient flows
    • Assess crop diversification, protein/feed autonomy levels, manure nutrient utilisation
  • WP3 - Detailed modelling analysis on carbon and nutrient utilization and circularity of mixed farming systems for dairy production

    The assessment of carbon and nutrient circularity is a key issue for delineating suitable strategies to mitigate GHG emissions and nutrient losses within farming systems for dairy production, as well as for improving farm self-supply of nitrogen as protein for animal feeding and assimilable forms for crop nutrition.

    The aims of this WP are to:

    • Assess and model carbon and nutrient circularity of the current farming systems for dairy production
    • Assess the effects of different levels of grassland / crop diversification on C and nutrient fluxes
    • Validate GHG emission and N loss models of the mixed farming system for dairy production, using classical and deep data analysis (AI) of fluxes and mitigation/optimization options in case studies
    • Develop “whole-farm and regional circular models” for dairy production.
  • WP4 – brings WP2 and WP3 together for a multi-criteria assessment of mixed farming systems for dairy production based on indicators for circularity and efficient resource use developed in WP2 and WP3

    • Assess environmental, economic and social sustainability of mixed farming system options for dairy production that have reduced external feed and fertiliser input
    • Develop multicriteria sustainability concepts for mixed farming systems for dairy production
    • Identify and analyse synergies and trade-offs of crop diversification to enhance protein/feed and fertiliser autonomy and propose GHG/N mitigation scenarios on environmental, economic, social sustainability at farm scale and regional scale
  • WP5 - Details a range of communication and dissemination activities and hosts the interactive web application - the MilKey/DairyMix platform - to analyse farm data and to evaluate effects of changes in farming practice at farm and regional level with regards to environmental, economic and societal sustainability indicators.

    The objective of this work package is to maximise the impact of the project through a comprehensive dissemination of the project outputs, including active communication to stakeholders outside the project consortium. An active outreach program will engage with farmers, advisors, practitioners, scientists and policy-makers. This will ensure widespread understanding of the significance of the project outputs and will lead to a range of exploitation and implementation opportunities in order to guarantee shift from a research and innovation project to full-scale deployment. The environmental and societal impacts will get particular attention, as this is the main pathway to gain acceptance and implementation amongst the citizens. A specific focus will be put on external project communication with national and international networks and bodies.

  • WP1 - Coordination and Management

    – Project coordination and management, communication between partners
    – Timely delivery of high quality milestones and deliverables
    – Quality assurance and quality control via the scientific advisory board
    – Communication and interaction with projects from ERA Gas, ERA SusAn and ERA ICT

  • WP2 - Case studies, data from the extensive DATAMAN database, Eurostat data and data from OTICE, the online barn climate and emission control tool will be collected and analysed

    Assess mixed farming systems for dairy production, by means of dairy farm case study data and statistical data (e.g. Eurostat, national statistics), with specific focus on grassland and crops and their integration with dairy production (e.g. crop diversification level; protein/feed autonomy level); assess the integration between crops and dairy at farm scale and regional scale; assess non-circularity of current dairy systems (e.g. import of concentrates and mineral fertilisers) and opportunity for more feed autionomy and better utilisation of manure nutrients.

    – Characterise the grassland / cropping systems of the case study dairy farms
    – Characterise C and nutrient flows
    – Assess crop diversification, protein/feed autonomy levels, manure nutrient utilisation

  • WP3 - Detailed modelling analysis on carbon and nutrient utilization and circularity of mixed farming systems for dairy production

    The assessment of carbon and nutrient circularity is a key issue for delineating suitable strategies to mitigate GHG emissions and nutrient losses within farming systems for dairy production, as well as for improving farm self-supply of nitrogen as protein for animal feeding and assimilable forms for crop nutrition.

    The aims of this WP are to:

    – Assess and model carbon and nutrient circularity of the current farming systems for dairy production
    – Assess the effects of different levels of grassland / crop diversification on C and nutrient fluxes
    – Validate GHG emission and N loss models of the mixed farming system for dairy production, using classical and deep data analysis (AI) of fluxes and mitigation/optimization options in case studies
    – Develop “whole-farm and regional circular models” for dairy production.

  • WP4 – brings WP2 and WP3 together for a multi-criteria assessment of mixed farming systems for dairy production based on indicators for circularity and efficient resource use developed in WP2 and WP3

    – Assess environmental, economic and social sustainability of mixed farming system options for dairy production that have reduced external feed and fertiliser input
    – Develop multicriteria sustainability concepts for mixed farming systems for dairy production
    – Identify and analyse synergies and trade-offs of crop diversification to enhance protein/feed and fertiliser autonomy and propose GHG/N mitigation scenarios on environmental, economic, social sustainability at farm scale and regional scale

  • WP5 - Details a range of communication and dissemination activities and hosts the interactive web application - the MilKey/DairyMix platform - to analyse farm data and to evaluate effects of changes in farming practice at farm and regional level with regards to environmental, economic and societal sustainability indicators.

    The objective of this work package is to maximise the impact of the project through a comprehensive dissemination of the project outputs, including active communication to stakeholders outside the project consortium. An active outreach program will engage with farmers, advisors, practitioners, scientists and policy-makers. This will ensure widespread understanding of the significance of the project outputs and will lead to a range of exploitation and implementation opportunities in order to guarantee shift from a research and innovation project to full-scale deployment. The environmental and societal impacts will get particular attention, as this is the main pathway to gain acceptance and implementation amongst the citizens. A specific focus will be put on external project communication with national and international networks and bodies.