Presentation of the scientific interest group « Livestock farming future » (“Avenir Elevages”)

Livestock farming must respond to multiple challenges affecting all animal sectors: environmental impacts, numerous controversies about livestock farming and animal products, an uncertain economic environment and loss of competitiveness. Opportunities also exist: livestock farming remains essential for sustainable agriculture and produces ecosystem services; the digital revolution and biotechnologies can help to meet the challenges. In this context, the search for progress in livestock farming requires a change in the way the "research-training-development" triptych is conducted by bringing together all the stakeholders and developing inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary approaches. To meet this challenge the SIG « Livestock farming future » aims to gather four major conditions :

• prepare the animal of tomorrow by developing its skills (efficiency, health and well-being);

• rethink livestock farming in the context of sustainable agriculture and food in terms of (i) complementarity between crop and livestock production, (ii) the relationship between livestock farming and the environment and (iii) the implementation of the digital revolution;
• to define the bases of a breeding system that creates added value for the sectors and breeders and meets society's expectations;
• to stimulate a proactive process of rapprochement and cooperation between the various links in the research-training-development system, with the aim of setting up a common and renewed set of methods, knowledge, tools and data acquisition devices.

Through the launch of an unprecedented, long-term cooperation project, the twenty-three partners of SIG « Livestock farming future » define and implement, over the long term, a common strategy, from basic research to the support of innovations in the field.