SheepNet: EU network on sheep productivity

SheepNet (Sharing Expertise and Experience towards sheep Productivity through NETworking) is a new project led by idele (France) and funded under H2020 RUR-10-2016-2017 (€1.99 million) which aims to increase sheep productivity, and will run until October 2019.

Sheep meat and milk production are very important farm enterprises in Europe and neighbouring countries. In Europe there are 85 million animals on 830,000 farms, while in Turkey there are 31 million animals on 127,000 farms. However, since 2000 the number of producers has declined in the EU by 50%. The current decrease of this activity is an important risk to the sustainable development of areas generally considered as less favoured. In order to reinforce the attractiveness of the sheep sector, it is fundamental to increase, in a sustainable way, productivity of meat sheep (the number of lambs reared per ewe joined) and of milk sheep (the number of milking ewes per ewe joined). SheepNet (Sharing Expertise and Experience towards sheep Productivity through NETworking) is a new project led by idele (France) and funded under H2020 RUR-10-2016-2017 (€1.99 million) which aims to increase sheep productivity, and will run until October 2019. 

The kick-off meeting of the European network, SheepNet, was held recently at the Teagasc Sheep Research Centre at Athenry in Ireland. SheepNet is a network about practice-driven innovation to improve sheep productivity. SheepNet will establish durable exchange of scientific and practical knowledge among researchers, farmers and advisors across Europe. Through a multi-actor and transdisciplinary approach at national and international levels, SheepNet will promote the implementation and dissemination of innovative and best technologies and practices for the improvement of sheep productivity. The six main sheep producing EU countries (Spain, United Kingdom, Romania, Italy, France, Ireland), and Turkey are involved in SheepNet. This network is open to all EU countries, stakeholders, sheep producers. Many national and transnational workshops, publications and events will be realised under SheepNet. Do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to take part or be informed! 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N°  727895.

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