2024: Austria’s NIP Group Prepares for First Meeting
Austria’s National Innovation Practice (NIP) group is set to hold its first meeting on 11 December, bringing together 17 farmers from across the country, representing both mountainous and flatland regions.
What’s special about this group?
With a diverse mix of farmers and a strong focus on innovation, the group is poised to make meaningful contributions to sustainable Cow-Calf Contact (CCC) systems in Austria.
Challenges ahead:
Managing long distances between participants and balancing the busy schedules of highly innovative farmers may pose logistical hurdles, but the group’s enthusiasm and commitment are undeniable.
This first meeting will set the stage for Austria’s role in advancing the goals of the TransformDairyNet project. Stay tuned for updates!
2024: First Steps of the Austrian National Hub
In December 2024, the Austrian National Innovation Practice Hub held its kick-off event at the Research Station for Grassland and Ruminants in Raumberg-Gumpenstein, at the Organic Institute. After a workshop session, the group visited the barn. Although the farm was not yet implementing a Cow-Calf Contact (CCC) system, they were considering building a new barn for the calves. Together, the group explored which CCC system could be suitable under their specific conditions. Being on a farm and applying knowledge to explore how it could transition to a CCC system was a valuable learning experience for each NIP member.
During the group’s second meeting, members visited two organic farms, both part of the hub. On the farm of Bernhard and Julia Kurz, calves are kept with their mothers in a newly built composting barn with a free-lying area. Almost all the milk from their 22 cows is processed on-site into dairy products and sold directly. On the farm of Elisabeth and Michael Gansch, participants saw a unique system: they milk only once a day, around lunchtime, coinciding with peak electricity production from their rooftop solar panels. The calves stay with their mothers, and the milk from the ‘second milking’ remains for the calves.
By showcasing two different CCC systems in practice, these visits sparked valuable exchanges among NIP members and developed the Austrian group’s expertise.
2025: EKIN Update
- Brought together motivated farmers through online and in-person meetings
- Organised informative barn visits
Achievements:
- 2 in-person meetings with 3 farm visits
- 1 online meeting
- Each session attracted at least 16 farmers
Concerns:
- Small, but motivated group
- Broader interest is limited