Details of the project EPI

Increasing the competitiveness of a farm specializing in beef production by introducing technological and organizational innovations in the field of feeding fattened cattle - improving the welfare and

14-03-2023 do 31-12-2024

3 097 226,10

EFRROW; national public funds; own funds

wolowina5q.pl

The main objective of the operation is to develop and implement a new method of organization and technology for fattening beef cattle, which will improve the health and welfare of animals and ensure obtaining meat of unprecedented high quality and nutritional value. This will translate into an improvement in the efficiency of beef production, will serve to reduce the consumption of pharmaceutical preparations, including antibiotics, and will improve production results and meat quality, which will directly affect the increase in the profitability of fattening and income of farms implementing the innovative production organization method being developed.

The main objective will be implemented through the following tasks related to the specific objectives: - proposing and introducing innovative additives based on natural products - phytogenics into the feeding practice of fattened animals, which, when introduced into food rations, will stimulate the animals' immunity and reduce the level of stress, and their use will be recommended especially in the initial period of fattening. - proposing and introducing innovative additives to the feeding practice of fattened animals, mainly based on natural products, which, when introduced into food rations, will reduce the level of heat stress, and their use will be recommended in periods when animals will be exposed to high temperatures in rooms and on runways. - proposing and introducing innovative additives to the feeding practice of fattened animals, mainly based on natural products, which, introduced into the doses in the final period of fattening, will reduce the level of stress and improve the quality of meat.

The profitability of fattening young cattle is largely determined by the production results of the animals and the quality of the carcasses, which affects the final price obtained by the producer for the carcass. Therefore, the beef producer wants his animals to be healthy, make good use of the feed provided, achieve high growth rates, high slaughter yield and high carcass quality. In order to achieve these goals, it must provide good quality fodder that will be properly integrated into the ration, and finally, it must take actions that will serve the welfare and health of animals. From the point of view of a beef consumer, its quality and nutritional value are important, but he also expects animals to be kept in appropriate welfare conditions in order to reduce the use of pharmaceutical preparations, in particular antibiotics, and finally, more and more expectations are placed on measures to reduce emissions pollution.

Currently, Poland is one of Europe's most important producers and exporters of fattening cattle and beef. Cattle fattening, especially on smaller farms, becomes an alternative to milk production or pig fattening. The efficiency of the fattening, and consequently the farmer's income, is determined by a number of factors: ensuring the appropriate quantity and quality of roughage and concentrated fodder and properly balancing the rations, ensuring the health and welfare of animals, and finally, the proper preparation of animals for slaughter, which affects the quality of the carcass and meat . Producers also face the challenge of reducing emissions of methane and nitrogen compounds into the environment, which is part of the concept of the EU Green Deal. During fattening, there are several critical moments when the above-mentioned factors are of particular importance and the beef producer must pay more attention to the observation of the herd and proper handling of the animals.

All the results of the project will translate into improved beef production efficiency, will result in improved animal welfare, will serve to reduce the consumption of pharmaceutical preparations, including antibiotics, improve the use of nutrients and reduce the emission of pollutants. By improving production results and meat quality, it will ultimately increase the profitability of fattening.

The results of the operation will be: 1. Development of innovative feed mixtures, which have not been used so far in feeding beef cattle, with unique properties affecting the health and welfare of animals - as a technological innovation defining the method and methodology of obtaining them. 2. Implementation of a new organizational innovation in fattening with the use of a natural additive to the ration at the beginning, after placing the animals, which will reduce the animals' stress and stimulate their immunity. This will ensure better animal health and reduce losses, including animal deaths, improve animal welfare, and consequently ensure better use of feed and improved production results in further stages of fattening. The effect of this solution should also be lower consumption of pharmaceutical preparations, including antibiotics, on the farm, and generally speaking, in animal fattening. 3. Implementation of a new organizational innovation for fattening, which will consist in the use of appropriately selected additives to food rations in summer rations, when animals are exposed to heat stress, which will reduce the level of heat stress and its effects on animal health and welfare, stimulated feed intake and its good use, and thus minimized the producer's potential losses. This will have a positive effect on the final fattening result. 4. Implementation of a new organizational innovation in fattening, in its final phase, which will consist in introducing natural additives to calm animals and reduce stress levels in the diet, which will affect the welfare of animals, but also to obtain high-quality beef that meets the needs of consumers and the industry meat. 5. Launching meat with a higher quality standard resulting from care for animal welfare, limiting the use of pharmaceutical preparations, reducing animal stress and organizing nutrition to reduce emissions of pollutants to the environment. 6. Dissemination of research results and rec

animal husbandry and welfare