15 - Sustainable, grassland-based ruminant production for high-quality products

Programme manager:

Programme director:

Objective

Resource-efficient, site-adapted and sustainable production systems for small and large ruminants with low environmental impacts, taking into account productivity, animal health and welfare.

• Specific objectives

  • Develop basic principles for improving efficiency, sustainability, health (preventive) and welfare in ruminant breeding programmes
  • Explore intelligent precision feeding (based on needs and analytics), optimal use of green fodder (including agroforestry) and alternative feeds for efficient and sustainable livestock production systems
  • Develop emission-reducing, welfare-friendly production systems and feed strategies and adapt requirement standards.
  • Analyse the potential of functional biodiversity and of the interactions between feed, animals and their entire microbiome to improve the overall production system.
  • Develop site-adapted, competitive production systems for ruminants to minimise trade-offs and maintain product quality (e.g. environment – animal welfare – product safety, including contaminants and pollutants)
  • Develop an overall concept for the ‘quality of animal products’ that covers all relevant quality parameters as well as aspects of sustainability and animal welfare/animal ethics
  • Develop new methods to assess the effects of production systems for small and large ruminants on sustainability and animal welfare
  • Analyse and develop preventive measures to evaluate and improve animal health and welfare
  • Reduce the costs and increase the competitiveness of Swiss milk production and the downstream value chain

Expected outcomes

Grassland-based production systems for ruminants continue to make a valuable contribution to food security in Switzerland. This form of production is adapted to the planetary boundaries and satisfies the highest standards of animal welfare and ethics. Social acceptance secures sales of dairy and meat products from Switzerland with high value added in the long-term. These data and results are made available to policy makers to support policy decisions and strategies. The results support measures introduced by the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) on the consumer side, especially the provision of information and raising of awareness about sustainable food systems.

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