Fast Track programme to lower on-farm emissions from dairy cows
Müller UK and Ireland has launched a groundbreaking programme targeted at decreasing carbon emissions from supplying farms by introducing real-time data analysis.
Delivered in partnership with Kite Consulting and 40 supplying farms, the project will play a key role in Muller’s Sustainability Action Plan ambition to decrease emissions by 30% by 2030.
The 3-year initiative will see the 40 farmers from across Great Britain utilise new ways of monitoring key data relating to production efficiency and sustainability to help inform decision-making and drive quick actions needed to meet their emission reduction goals.
Real-time data
At present, most British farms monitor emissions through annual reporting based on the previous year’s data. Fast Track will enable participating farmers to access real-time data, giving them timely and more frequent monitoring of importing key performance indicators (KPIs).
Fast Track aims to utilise automated data integration from numerous sources including Feedlync, a cloud-based feed management system, to monitor 4 key areas of feed efficiency, fertility, stock numbers and energy-corrected milk.
David Craven, Grosvenor Farms dairy manager, said: “Joining the Fast Track programme will help give farmers the ability to identify data-driven changes and focus on the indicators which have the biggest impact on long-term farm resilience and sustainability.”
Launching the programme at the Semex dairy conference in Scotland this month, Rob Hutchison, CEO Muller Milk and Ingredients, said: “We know on-farm emissions are one of our carbon hotspots and that’s why we’re working towards a target of 30% reduction in on-farm emissions by 2030. By supporting farmers to take an integrated, data-driven approach, we can assist them in taking rapid and responsive action which tackles issues head-on and as they arise, meaning we’re no longer relying on historic and sometimes out-of-date data to make decisions.”
Hutchison added that he hoped the farmers involved would improve their performance through Fast Track over the next 3 years. Speaking on the Kite Consulting podcast, he said there had been many energy reduction projects which were saving money and making economic sense, but there were others that would need extra money to invest or revenue to operate in that way – whether that’s renewable energy or slurry management.
“We need farmers, us as a processor, and our customers – retailers – working together on how we can get to a sustainable economic model to ensure we can deliver the carbon targets that we are working towards,” he said.
Sustainable model
Rose Jackson, senior dairy consultant at Kite Consulting, said: “With the increased uptake of technology on dairy farms, more and more data is being created, but how can we best use this to make science-based decisions to accelerate the reduction in carbon emissions? Fast Track aims to tackle this question by scrutinising relevant KPIs and facilitating collaboration between a group of 40 innovative and highly efficient farmers.”
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