What was the challenge/problem addressed?
This concept concentrates deeply on one dairy farm sub-process at the time (i.e. re-production, calf and heifer processes, transition cows, healthy legs etc) by analyzing the state of art, problems and well-dones. The advisor has a tool for analyzing herd and animal data, check list for signals and bench marking information. On farm visit (ca 2 hours) the advisor and the farmer discusses the need of improvements, agrees on 2-3 targets and time table. The dairy farmers are very fond of this concept mainly because it is very practical and goes very deep in one peace of the process.
What are the success factors in solving the problem?
Useful data for bench marking and finding the problems (root cause), advisor´s knowledge of the dairy processes on the farm, animal welfare and feeding and social skills.
What were the main challenges during the innovation process?
In innovation process lack of time of the advisors to be involved. In implementing make the change in advisors working habits (focus from the whole herd to one single problem/process), using less service time.
What role does the advisor or advisory service play with the practical case?
Knowledge awareness and exchange, Advisory, consultancy and backstopping aimed at solving complex problems, to be provided during the innovation process and based on demands of actors and the co-construction of solutions, Demand articulation, to allow actors to have access to new ideas, identify their needs, define their objectives and express clear demands to other actors, Networking facilitation and brokerage, to help organize or strengthen networks, improve the relationships between key actors and to align services in order to be able to complement each other
For sharing experience of the practical case, please contact
Tuija Huhtamäki
tuija.huhtamaki@proagria.fi, +358 40 137 9371