AgroServ Chronicles - Summer 2024

IN THIS ISSUE:

AgroServ’s TA/VA programme: the 2nd call for projects

A member in the spotlight: SmartCow

Save the date: ERSAC 2025 announcement

2

Foreword MICHEL BOËR Director General

Dear readers, We have now announced the results of the first call in our Transnational Access and Virtual Access programme. 20 user teams will be granted free access to many of our 140 interdisciplinary services. This is a great step for AgroServ, and we look forward to provide you with updates of the results that will be obtained to advance the agroecological transition.

At the same time, we are excited about the currently open 2nd call in our programme. It is a central part of the AgroServ project and presents a fantastic opportunity for researchers across Europe to engage with our extensive network of Research Infrastructures and contribute to the agroecological transition.

This summer brings also the releasing of a new informative video, which you can share with anyone who might be interested in participating in the TNA/VA call.

Furthermore, an updated version of AgroServ’s catalogue of services is underway, which will make it easier to navigate the diverse array of research services provided by our partner institutions.

Continuing to highlight AgroServ’s comprehensive approach to agroecology through transdisciplinary collaboration, in this newsletter issue we are putting the spotlight on SmartCow, one of our 12 Research Infrastructures. We had the pleasure of visiting Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and speaking with Prof. Carol-Anne Duthie, Head of SRUC’s Beef and Sheep Research Centre.

Thank you for being a part of the AgroServ community. Enjoy the read!

Sincerely yours,

Michel Boër

What is AgroServ?

With a growing global population and worsening soil quality posing significant hurdles, a shift towards balanced and sustainable systems is urgently needed to ensure food security, biodiversity, and human health. Recognizing the limitations of individual scientists and laboratories to address the breadth of agricultural complexities, AgroServ was conceived as a collaborative platform. By linking together researchers, facilities, farmers, industries, projects, and policymakers, AgroServ accelerates agroecological research, transcending borders to embrace a holistic perspective.

With 73 partners offering 143 Research Services across more than 20 countries, AgroServ, funded by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme from 2022-27, embodies the ethos of collaboration as the cornerstone for timely solutions to agricultural challenges.

AgroServ Chronicles / Summer 2024

3

Open Call in AgroServ's TA/VA programme AGROSERV'S 2ND CALL FOR TRANSNATIONAL ACCESS / VIRTUAL ACCESS RESEARCH PROPOSALS IS NOW OPEN, WITH A DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS SET FOR SEPTEMBER 30, 2024.

You can find detailed information on the TA/VA programme application page in our website. If you are planning to apply, make sure to create your profile in our application platform as soon as possible - you will be able to return to your draft application anytime before the deadline.

We have 2 new resources to share: 1. The webinar recording of the first AgroServ CONNECT event held at the beginning of July, with a presentation of the open call and a Q&A, is available.

2. A new presentation video of AgroServ, that you can share with anyone you think might have an interest in applying to AgroServ’s calls, now or in the future. You can find it on AgroServ’s YouTube channel and in our website. A second video will be released in September, covering more practical aspects regarding the application process and the guidelines of our TA/VA programme.

AgroServ’s catalogue: who provides the research services?

A new, updated version of the catalogue of services is now available online – check the Catalogue page of the website to find out what’s new and improved. For those who are not familiar with the Catalogue, it is essential to know that our research services are provided by institutions and organisations who are affiliated with one of the 11 Research Infrastructures that make up the AgroServ consortium.

Let’s explore AgroServ’s Research Infrastructures in a glimpse: AnaEE-ERIC aims to understand the complex impact of global change drivers on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems across Europe. It develops evidence-based adaptation and mitigation strategies to ensure the health of plants, soil, water, biodiversity, and ecosystems, thereby maintaining essential services like carbon sequestration, food security, and clean water.

ELIXIR unites Europe’s top life science organizations to manage and safeguard the vast volumes of data generated by publicly funded research. This intergovernmental organization brings together databases, software tools, training materials, cloud storage, and supercomputers to support life science research.

AgroServ Chronicles / Summer 2024

4

EMBRC-ERIC advances marine biology and ecology research while promoting blue biotechnologies. It provides access to services, facilities, and technology platforms at 70 marine stations in 9 European countries, supporting robust and costeffective marine research.

EMPHASIS helps scientists understand plant performance by analyzing genotype performance under various environmental conditions. It addresses technological and organizational challenges in European plant phenotyping, promoting future food security and agricultural innovation.

EU-OPENSCREEN ERIC offers high-capacity compound screening and medicinal chemistry services across Europe. It supports the development of novel chemical compounds for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications through 30 partner sites in 10 countries and operates the European Chemical Biology Database.

Euro-BioImaging is Europe’s landmark research infrastructure for biological and biomedical imaging. It provides life scientists with access to imaging instruments, expertise, training opportunities, and data management services not available at their home institutions or through their collaborators.

LifeWatch-ERIC provides e-Science research facilities to tackle key planetary challenges. By offering access to diverse data sets, services, and tools, it enables the creation of Virtual Research Environments, supporting large-scale scientific development and informed decision-making in biodiversity and ecosystem management.

METROFOOD-RI promotes metrology in food and nutrition by providing high-level services to enhance food quality and safety.

It supports the traceability and sustainability of agrifood systems, strengthens scientific knowledge, and fosters scientific cooperation.

MIRRI-ERIC focuses on the preservation, characterization, provision, and valorization of microbial resources. It connects over 50 microbial Biological Resource Centres, culture collections, and research institutes from ten countries, offering access to a broad range of high-quality microorganisms and associated data.

Additionally, AgroServ partner institutions LUKE and UTAD constitute a 12th, unofficial RI that offers socioeconomic services – an important effort to expand the transdisciplinary effort required in the agroecological transition. ■

Ready to

apply?

The application period for AgroServ’s 2nd Transnational Access / Virtual Access call for research projects is open:

until September 30th 2024 AgroServ Chronicles / Summer 2024

A MEMBER IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Unlocking Sustainable Farming with SmartCow You might have noticed that one Research Infrastructure was missing in the previous section.

The 12th RI in the AgroServ project is SmartCow, which is in the spotlight for this issue.

SmartCow integrates key European cattle research infrastructures, providing access to services and resources to develop innovative solutions for animal welfare, feed efficiency, and sustainable competitiveness in cattle production.

AgroServ visited the Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) Easter Howgate Farm facility in Edinburgh, Scotland, to discuss with Prof. Carol-Anne Duthie the role of the SmartCow Research Infrastructure in the project. Duthie is Head of SRUC’s Beef and Sheep Research Centre, one of the key partner institutions of SmartCow. The following interview, edited to provide clarity, is extracted from a short documentary from AgroServ which will be released soon.

Interview with Carol-Anne Duthie, Head of SRUC’s Beef and Sheep Research Centre WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING AT SCOTLAND’S RURAL COLLEGE (SRUC)?

My name is Carol-Anne Duthie, and I have been at SRUC for 20 years. I came from a background in animal science, so it was a natural choice for me to join SRUC, where we have extensive expertise in animal science and livestock production.

WHY WERE YOU INTERESTED IN SCIENCE TO BEGIN WITH? I love a challenge and enjoy solving problems. At SRUC, we have a lot of multidisciplinary expertise that allows us to

address key challenges in livestock production.

WHAT DOES SMARTCOW DO? SmartCow is a unique network focusing on cattle production and research infrastructures for dairy and beef systems. It spans seven European countries with 18 installations, aiming to integrate research infrastructure across Europe.

HOW DOES SMARTCOW FIT INTO AGROSERV'S GOAL OF AN AGROECOLOGICAL TRANSITION FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION?

AgroServ Chronicles / Summer 2024

5

6

SmartCow fits well within AgroServ's ambitions due to the diversity of our facilities. We cover different climates, genotypes, and breeds, and operate various feeding systems. We're very focused on sustainability, improving efficiency, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the beef and dairy sectors.

HOW MUCH UNUSED POTENTIAL IS THERE TO REDUCE EMISSIONS IN THESE SECTORS? There is significant potential to reduce emissions in both the beef and dairy sectors.

We can explore genetic improvement, better management practices, and new technologies. Improvements in animal health and precision feeding also contribute, along with novel feed additives and microbiome research.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW YOU WORK WITH TRANSDISCIPLINARITY, WHICH IS KEY TO AGROSERV? We are fortunate to collaborate with a wide range of academic expertise and innovative companies in fields like engineering and computer vision that are bringing to the fore some interesting technologies that we can then adopt and develop and apply within our sectors. We bring animal science expertise and facilities to test and validate new technologies, enhancing the value of our research to the industry.

HAS AGRICULTURE BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE IN THE PAST 5-10 YEARS, OR ARE WE JUST STARTING TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION? Sustainability has improved over the past five years, but we need to progress faster to meet our greenhouse gas emission targets.

Consumer concerns about product quality and carbon footprint are also driving this shift. We must consider these factors in a cohesive way. We have a lot of targets to meet and a lot of consumer acceptance to consider within the sort of supply chains that we are operating within.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHANGES IN AGRICULTURE IN RECENT YEARS? Industries are now under more pressure to focus on sustainability while maintaining productivity. Government and societal pressures are increasing, and research is shifting towards achieving carbon efficiency along with productivity.

HOW HAS THE PERCEPTION OF FARMING CHANGED IN TERMS OF EMISSIONS AND SUSTAINABILITY? There are positive messages about the benefits of the agricultural sector, but significant pressures remain due to emissions. We need to effectively communicate the positives and the steps being taken to reduce emissions.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OR UNSOLVED QUESTIONS IN THIS FIELD?

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD ABOUT SMARTCOW?

One of the biggest challenges is the commercial adoption of our solutions. We need to convey the value of new technologies and breeding systems to the industry effectively. Adoption is crucial to realizing the benefits of our research.

We have significant measurement capacity within SmartCow's European network. Each installation offers various measurement techniques, covering animal production, emissions, health, welfare, and behaviour.

The potential within this combined and integrated network is enormous. ■

AgroServ Chronicles / Summer 2024

7

FOCUS ON A SERVICE SMARTCOW - BEEF RESEARCH CENTRE and carbon dioxide emissions, six training pens to accustom animals to being housed individually and electronic feeders fitted with canopy ‘sniffers’ which allow measurement of methane emitted specifically whilst the animal is eating.

SRUC’s Beef Research Centre, based near Edinburgh, UK, consists of a total farms area of 1,013 hectares (656 ha hill; 152 ha upland; 205 ha lowland) with a total of ~400 suckler breeding cows (spring and autumn calving) of three breed types (Aberdeen Angus, Limousin and Luing).

The infrastructure offers services in two key installations (recent investment >€3M): (1) Beef Efficiency facility (growth and individual feed intake), and (2) GreenCow Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Facility (respiration chambers).

Facilities include integrated state-of-the-art handling and weighing, 60 automatic feed intake bins (HOKOfarm Group) allowing for measurement of more than 150 animals at any time, multiple silage clamps allowing for different diets to be offered to cattle all year round and feeding wagons allowing for precise diet formulation and nutrition.

GreenCow consists of six respiration chambers to measure methane, hydrogen

The research is also supported with extensive precision livestock farming instrumentation: automated weighing; lowcost feed and water intake recording; imaging solutions (e.g. 3D camera technology, thermal imaging, ultrasound) for carcass quality and animal behaviour; animal sensing systems (e.g. accelerometer-based activity monitors, temperature-sensing, jawmovement sensors) for behaviour and health detection; GPS-tracking for extensive systems; proxy technologies for measuring methane emissions; electronic identification solutions and application of advanced data analytics to "big data" (e.g., machine learning approaches).

The beef research unit is supported by 5 farm staff, 7 scientific researchers and 4 highly skilled research technicians. Aligned laboratories provide analytical expertise for a range of biomarkers (animal stress, feed efficiency and product quality), as well as a growing capacity for rumen microbiome analysis (16S community analysis and genecentric metagenomics).

Check the dedicated Catalogue page to consult all the services available within AgroServ through SmartCow. Visit smartcow.eu to find out more about the centre.

AgroServ Chronicles / Summer 2024

8

News and events AgroServ CONNECT #2 – 12th September 2024 @ 12.00 (CEST) Join a new webinar in our series dedicated to exploring AgroServ and expanding the debate on agroecology. This second event will offer another chance to ask questions on the open call in our Transnational/Virtual access programme, with a debate among guests that will be soon announced and a special presentation of future events.

You can save the date by registering now at this link.

SAVE THE DATE: European Research Services on Agroecology Conference 2025 – 1-3 October 2025 @ Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy, Lithuania ERSAC is AgroServ's main effort in providing a conference event on research advancements in agroecology. In 2025, the event will take place with a parallel programme to the Rural Development conference organised by Magnus University, a partner institution in the project.

The AgroServ general assembly will also take place during those days. More details will be announced at the end of this year, so stay tuned!

AgroServ Chronicles / Summer 2024

Find out more

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR PROJECT AND PARTNERS, VISIT AGROSERV.EU

IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK OR THERE ARE RELEVANT NEWS OR EVENTS THAT YOU THINK SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT ISSUE Send an email to AgroServ’s Communications officer: daniele.baldo@anaee.eu

AgroServ Central Hub CNRS Campus, Bâtiment 11 1 Av. de la Terrasse 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France

contact@agroserv.eu agroserv.eu

Quality of information — Disclaimer This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101058020 (AgroServ). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.