Supporting holistic evaluation
PATHWAYS designs future scenarios and pathways for sustainable livestock husbandry and food systems by facilitating dialogues with farmers in Practice Hubs all over Europe.
In these national Practice Hubs, farmers discuss ideas and innovations, are given the option of testing innovations in Living Labs and feed their ideas to other stakeholders from farm to fork to support sustainable livestock production and consumption.
Legend
100% pasture-fed cow-calf dairy systems
The group put animal welfare and harmonious integration of livestock into their farming systems at the centre of their preoccupation. It has developed own voluntary standards that include among others that all young animals are reared in a mother-calf-rearing system.
Production techniques
Conventional
10
- Techniques and ways to establish on-farm slaughtering
- Market access for animal friendly meat
Management for maximisation of carbon sequestration in pasture
Practice Hub farmers are unacquainted and focused on management of carbon in grasslands. Calves on grass in 2-3 farms.
Production techniques
Niche, Intensive
15-20
- Carbon sequestration in permanent grassland
- Grassland management
- Only grass feed
Dairy in agroforestry system for self-sufficiency in protein-based feed
Extensive systems in mountain area with high biodiversity and resilient system, social problems resolve with use sustainable agriculture systems.
Production techniques
Niche, Extensive
15-20
- Quality products
- Market organizing aspects
More-from-less dairy systems utilising on-farm advice and carbon foot-printing tool
Practice Hub is a new group, but several knew each other beforehand. Arla will begin a sustainability/marketing work on conventional farmers where this group can be used. Skilled entrepreneurs, curious, happy to discuss with others.
Production techniques
Mainstream, Intensive
7
Animal welfare in large herds
Conventional pig farm utilising manure for biogas
Practice Hub involves innovation from coop (Cooperl) for the management of pig slurry with frequent removal from building and separation liquid/solid. And use of solid in biogas unit with transformation of the digestant in fertiliser.
Products
Intensive, Niche
100
- Circular economy
- Reduction of NH3, GHG
- Renewable production of mineral fertilizer
Green protein for pig farming
Young and old innovative organic pig farmers, interesting breeding including trees in the paddocks, feeding with green protein and sustainability. Organic farmers utilising “green-protein” from grass/clover working with feed company and refinery.
Production techniques
Intensive, Niche
6
- Animal welfare
- More time outdoors
- % castration
- More trees
- Regulation / solar cells; new buildings
More-from-less production system with optimised diets and housing with ammonia capture
Production techniques
Mainstream, Intensive
Conventional pig production with innovative flooring and biodiversity focus
Practice Hub members from Wroetvarken, active for 20 years. Hub is slowly growing to 17 farmers.
Production techniques
Intensive, Niche
5
Closed cycles
100% pasture-fed beef systems utilising mob grazing, herbal leys and mobile slaughterhouses and Community Supported Agriculture
Practice Hub farmer members are either certified or on way to certification of Pasture for Life; all based in South England + Wales (lowland), huge range and backgrounds + skills
Production techniques
Conventional
14
- 100% pasture fed beef community-supported agriculture
- Mobile slaughterhouses
- Mob grazing particular focus
New breeding methodology for “mountain pasture” with own certification/label development
Practice Hub is based on the existing Italian Grassfed Association. Farmers are very much engaged in the system but were mainly focused on what is wrong with public authority, policy, etc. The association extended to sheep and goat but remains mostly beef.
Marketing
Mainstream, Extensive
20
- Traceability
- Block chains
Quality assured production system for beef and sheep on high nature value semi-natural pastures together with label development
Naturbeteskött, an NGO with members who are both farmers, consumers and industry representatives, all with an interest in producing, marketing and consuming beef and lamb from semi-natural grasslands. This practice hub showcases grazing on high nature value (HNV) grasslands. The NGO promotes quality assured beef and lamb.
Production techniques
Conventional
8-10
- Sustainable meat production that brings biodiversity to the table
- Market access
Agri-tech innovation for improved welfare
Practice Hub is based members of Association of Poultry Breeders and Egg Producers from the Gdansnk area focusing on value chain organisation, education and training helping policy makers to assess regulations.
Production techniques
Mainstream
30
- Increasing welfare by feeding optimally
- Processing innovation, low impact on environment
- Decrease NH3 emissions
Farmer cooperative producing and sharing compost from plant-based litter
Practice Hub involves the cooperative Fertil’Eveil that created a composting plant back in 2007. In 2011, they started a litter production plant to standardise and integrate the composting process. In 2018, they opened a second composting platform and in 2022, a third.
Products
Niche, Intensive
150
- Assess the impact of the litter (welfare, etc.)
- Assess the impact of the composting process on soil
Closed-loop egg production feeding food processing waste and recycling manure
Practice Hub consists of 3 innovative farmers that each have their own story; the common theme is that they are looking for new methods to produce eggs within societal boundaries.
Production technique
Mainstream, Intensive
3
- Circularity
- Emotions of animals
- Consumer interests
Dehesa Mediterranean system of sheep rearing in silvopasture with different input levels
Practice Hub involves Corsevilla, a cooperative in the southwest of Spain that collects sheep and lambs from the farms and commercialises them. This hub is focused on Dehesa sheep with different input levels.
Marketing
Niche, Extensive
8-9
Reduce health issues (respiratory/digestive during the early in life)
Tool decision-making for dairy goats
Practice Hub involves CapriGran Goat Farmers aiming to use an animal data processing tool to increase the efficiency of resource management in dairy goats.
Organisation
Mainstream, Intensive
3
Improve nutrition management and welfare
Supporting holistic evaluation
PATHWAYS designs future scenarios and pathways for sustainable livestock husbandry and food systems by facilitating dialogues with farmers in Practice Hubs all over Europe.
In these national Practice Hubs, farmers discuss ideas and innovations, are given the option of testing innovations in Living Labs and feed their ideas to other stakeholders from farm to fork to support sustainable livestock production and consumption.
100% pasture-fed cow-calf dairy systems
The group put animal welfare and harmonious integration of livestock into their farming systems at the centre of their preoccupation. It has developed own voluntary standards that include among others that all young animals are reared in a mother-calf-rearing system.
- Techniques and ways to establish on-farm slaughtering
- Market access for animal friendly meat
Production techniques
Conventional
10
Germany
Management for maximisation of carbon sequestration in pasture
Practice Hub farmers are unacquainted and focused on management of carbon in grasslands. Calves on grass in 2-3 farms.
- Carbon sequestration in permanent grassland
- Grassland management
- Only grass feed
Production techniques
Niche, Intensive
15-20
France
Dairy in agroforestry system for self-sufficiency in protein-based feed
Extensive systems in mountain area with high biodiversity and resilient system, social problems resolve with use sustainable agriculture systems.
- Quality products
- Market organizing aspects
Production techniques
Niche, Extensive
15-20
Romania
More-from-less dairy systems utilising on-farm advice and carbon foot-printing tool
Practice Hub is a new group, but several knew each other beforehand. Arla will begin a sustainability/marketing work on conventional farmers where this group can be used. Skilled entrepreneurs, curious, happy to discuss with others.
Animal welfare in large herds
Production techniques
Mainstream, Intensive
7
Sweden
Conventional pig farm utilising manure for biogas
Practice Hub involves innovation from coop (Cooperl) for the management of pig slurry with frequent removal from building and separation liquid/solid. And use of solid in biogas unit with transformation of the digestant in fertiliser.
- Circular economy
- Reduction of NH3, GHG
- Renewable production of mineral fertilizer
Products
Intensive, Niche
100
France
Green protein for pig farming
Young and old innovative organic pig farmers, interesting breeding including trees in the paddocks, feeding with green protein and sustainability. Organic farmers utilising “green-protein” from grass/clover working with feed company and refinery.
- Animal welfare
- More time outdoors
- % castration
- More trees
- Regulation / solar cells; new buildings
Production techniques
Intensive, Niche
6
Denmark
More-from-less production system with optimised diets and housing with ammonia capture
Production techniques
Mainstream, Intensive
Denmark
Conventional pig production with innovative flooring and biodiversity focus
Practice Hub members from Wroetvarken, active for 20 years. Hub is slowly growing to 17 farmers.
Closed cycles
Production techniques
Intensive, Niche
5
The Netherlands
100% pasture-fed beef systems utilising mob grazing, herbal leys and mobile slaughterhouses and Community Supported Agriculture
Practice Hub farmer members are either certified or on way to certification of Pasture for Life; all based in South England + Wales (lowland), huge range and backgrounds + skills
- 100% pasture fed beef community-supported agriculture
- Mobile slaughterhouses
- Mob grazing particular focus
Production techniques
Conventional
14
UK
New breeding methodology for “mountain pasture” with own certification/label development
Practice Hub is based on the existing Italian Grassfed Association. Farmers are very much engaged in the system but were mainly focused on what is wrong with public authority, policy, etc. The association extended to sheep and goat but remains mostly beef.
- Traceability
- Block chains
Marketing
Mainstream, Extensive
20
Italy
Quality assured production system for beef and sheep on high nature value semi-natural pastures together with label development
Naturbeteskött, an NGO with members who are both farmers, consumers and industry representatives, all with an interest in producing, marketing and consuming beef and lamb from semi-natural grasslands. This practice hub showcases grazing on high nature value (HNV) grasslands. The NGO promotes quality assured beef and lamb.
- Sustainable meat production that brings biodiversity to the table
- Market access
Production techniques
Conventional
8-10
Sweden
Agri-tech innovation for improved welfare
Practice Hub is based members of Association of Poultry Breeders and Egg Producers from the Gdansnk area focusing on value chain organisation, education and training helping policy makers to assess regulations.
- Increasing welfare by feeding optimally
- Processing innovation, low impact on environment
- Decrease NH3 emissions
Production techniques
Mainstream
30
Poland
Farmer cooperative producing and sharing compost from plant-based litter
Practice Hub involves the cooperative Fertil’Eveil that created a composting plant back in 2007. In 2011, they started a litter production plant to standardise and integrate the composting process. In 2018, they opened a second composting platform and in 2022, a third.
- Assess the impact of the litter (welfare, etc.)
- Assess the impact of the composting process on soil
Products
Niche, Intensive
150
France
Closed-loop egg production feeding food processing waste and recycling manure
Practice Hub consists of 3 innovative farmers that each have their own story; the common theme is that they are looking for new methods to produce eggs within societal boundaries.
- Circularity
- Emotions of animals
- Consumer interests
Production technique
Mainstream, Intensive
3
The Netherlands
Dehesa Mediterranean system of sheep rearing in silvopasture with different input levels
Practice Hub involves Corsevilla, a cooperative in the southwest of Spain that collects sheep and lambs from the farms and commercialises them. This hub is focused on Dehesa sheep with different input levels.
Reduce health issues (respiratory/digestive during the early in life)
Marketing
Niche, Extensive
8-9
Spain
Tool decision-making for dairy goats
Practice Hub involves CapriGran Goat Farmers aiming to use an animal data processing tool to increase the efficiency of resource management in dairy goats.
Improve nutrition management and welfare
Organisation
Mainstream, Intensive
3
Spain
