Three years of situated social learning and development of diverse cow-calf contact systems in Danish organic dairy farms

Summary in the original language of the document

This study aimed to explore the learning process among farmers about cow-calf contact (CCC) systems using a Stable School approach, where farmers advise each other. It also aimed to identify key themes from discussions held in 21 meetings about CCC. Ten host farmers organized these meetings, which involved 32 participants from 16 farms with diverse characteristics, including herd sizes ranging from 7 to 600 cows.
During the meetings, summaries were recorded and analyzed using an inductive approach to identify themes related to CCC systems and learning processes. The study documented how farmers' perspectives on animal care and keeping cows and calves together evolved. A central theme was the identification of challenges, such as space requirements and pasture access, and the collaborative development of solutions using farm-specific experiences.
Participants raised practical and ethical questions about implementing CCC systems, expressing joy in seeing the animals thrive. The development of a shared language, such as referring to the "sharing of milk with the calf" rather than the "loss of milk," was crucial for understanding. Despite the diversity among farms, participants supported each other as colleagues.
The study found that many farmers viewed foster cow systems as a more feasible option for CCC than dam-rearing systems, with some considering foster cow systems as a step towards implementing dam-rearing systems in the future. Overall, the study demonstrated that socially situated learning and communities of practice can effectively facilitate the development, implementation, and improvement of CCC systems in various dairy farming contexts.