Same practices in all countries

Representatives from universities, research institutions, organisations and technology companies in China, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Spain, Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands and Norway will meet at the launch of the BrightAnimal project in Halifax, United Kingdom, in late May, writes Irene Midling Andreassen of Nofima.

During the two-year project, a best practice framework will be developed that is aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises in the farming industry in Europe and the rest of the world. The recommendations in the framework will take into consideration efficiency, the use of IT tools for identification, monitoring and traceability, as well as animal welfare and sustainability.

At the conclusion of the project in 2011, all the results will be compiled in a text book entitled "Precision Livestock Farming" (PLF).

New technology to give new development

In order to improve the health and welfare of farmed species, as well as increase profitability, the project will assess various technologies to gain the best possible utilisation of food and other resources. This will contribute to environmentally, socially and economically sustainable development for the farming industry, which is needed in order to meet the challenges associated with food safety and an anticipated 40 percent increase in demand for food in the space of the next 15 years.

"We are aiming to develop a set of recommendations that are so understandable and practical that the farmers will easily be able to use them in practice," says Senior Scientist, Petter Olsen.