French Livestock Institute
The Institut de l’Elevage is an institute of applied research and development at the service of livestock and the herbivore sectors for cattle, sheep, goats and horses. It aims at produce studies, experiments, engineering, expertises, advice and training to improve the competitiveness of farms, to adapt production and livestoch systems to expectations of society and to respond to indutries demands.
Chaired by the livestock federations, it employs 230 people, mainly agro-economists working in 4 operational departments:
- Genetics and identification and traceability
- Regional action with networks of farms for advices and forecast
- Livestocks farming techniques and product quality (management and milking of dairy herd, housing and environment, welfare, health…)
- Economy studies on milk and meat production and industries in France and Europe
It’s got partnerships with Chambres d’Agriculture, technical and professionnal organizations and public bodies.
It also works closely together with INRA in some European projects (Welfare Quality, Euroca etc.) and in shared national programs. At the European level, in 2006 - 2007, it was involved in 10 European R&D projects (6th FW, INTERREG, DG Agri, PHARE) and was the coordinator of the Green Dairy project (2003-2006), an INTERREG IIIB project on Atlantic Area dealing with dairy farming and nitrate losses in the water.
The Institut de l’Elevage is involved in all WP’s and actions.
