The company is backing the program with €30,000 in funding. A panel of animal welfare experts, representatives of the World Farmers’ Organization and Bayer will select projects that will receive funding.
Farmers, veterinarians, researchers and graduate students in veterinary medicine or animal science are invited to submit their ideas to the Care4Cattle program. Bayer said projects should demonstrate innovative, practice-oriented ways to improve cattle well-being on the farm level. Projects will be judged based on innovative approach; impact on cattle welfare; added value to farming operations; relevance and feasibility; and economic viability.
“Animal well-being is of growing emphasis around the world,” Theo De Jager, president of the World Farmers’ Organization, said in a statement. “Effective implementation of sustainable animal well-being standards requires constant innovation, as well as a strong partnership between farmers, industry, all levels of government and the community. For these reasons we are pleased to be able to collaborate with Bayer on this project. Improving cattle well-being at farm level benefits the animals, and this ultimately also benefits the farmers.”
Submissions are accepted until June 25. More information about the Care4Cattle initiative is available through the Bayer Animal Health website.
