Federal State

Lower Saxony and Bremen

Project Title

Development of a learning network to enhance awareness and willingness to improve health management in pig production to reduce the use of antibiotics

Project description

The use of antibiotics has to be reduced to a minimum within the next years. To achieve this objective, pig-farmers have to conduct farm specific measures to reduce the use of antibiotics. As the use of antibiotics depends on many different factors, pig-farmers need an approach that takes into account the farm specific challenges as well as the variety of factors influencing on animal health. In mechanical engineering the concept “learning factory” is often used to improve continuously work processes and therefore to increase productivity and to reduce waste. Based on the findings and experience of the learning factory a learning network (including pig-farmers, advisors, veterinarians and scientists) will be developed to implement a continuous improvement process which focusses on reducing the use of antibiotics in pig production. To implement the learning network successfully, existing obstacles and fears of pig-farmers, advisors and veterinarians need to be detected. Furthermore, a guideline will be created to ensure the transferability of the developed methods and results to other workgroups/networks.

Final report

Download report (PDF file)

Results focusing on practiceorientation

Farmers have to reduce the use of antibiotics to a minimum within the next years. In mechanical engineering the concept learning factory is often used to improve continuously work processes and therefore to increase productivity and to reduce waste. Based on the mechanical engineering concept the EIP Agri Operational Group PIG HEALTH Lern-Netzwerk developed a learning network to continuously improve health management in pig production to reduce antibiotics to a minimum within the next years. The willingness of farmers, vets and consultants has been taken into account in order to continuously improve hygiene and health management in pig production. Guidelines to transfer the results to other workgroups have been elaborated.
Added value of the tool PIG HEALTH Learning-Network for the farmers:
● improved hygiene and health management
● increased competitiveness and optimized production processes
● building up a sustainable ecosystem... (s. Abschlussbericht)&

Main funding source

Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups (in the sense of Art 56 of Reg.1305/2013)

Project status

completed

Total budget applied for in EUR

353,380

Link 1

Practice Sheet

NUTS3 CODE

DE929