Sm@RT: Innovative technologies training for small ruminant producers

Across Europe, there is a low uptake of digital and precision livestock farming technologies and innovative solutions by small ruminant producers. The thematic network Sm@RT (Sm@ll Ruminant Technology), which involves 8 countries, aims to improve this level of uptake by farmers by identifying existing tools and technologies that can help farmers. To date, the network has selected 50 relevant tools. To encourage uptake, Sm@RT is organising training/demonstration days on digifarms (research/demonstration farms) and innovative commercial farms. During training days, stakeholders can work, and evaluate different tools and technologies in real situations. Farmers attending the events complete questionnaires before and after evaluating a technology, to gauge if their opinions change after the training. The tools vary from simple electronic identification (EID) stick readers to more complex milking machines and virtual fence collars. Demonstration days are held in a different context, relying on peer-to-peer exchanges between farmers. The innovative farmers show other farmers how they use tools or technologies, in practice, on their farm. The demonstration days allow for more discussion between farmers on the benefits and problems of using the tools. A series of online videos are also available showing how tools and technologies are used and can be accessed by those who did not attend the on-farm training days. These approaches will yield invaluable information regarding barriers and drivers to uptake of technologies on small ruminant farms.