How can the health and reproductive performance of dairy cows be improved while reducing antibiotic use and making better use of dairy industry by-products? These are the challenges addressed by researchers from the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences within the new international SUSREPRO project.
The Embryo Biology Team, consisting of Professor Izabela Wocławek-Potocka, Agnieszka Jończyk, Ilona Kowalczyk-Zięba, and Dorota Boruszewska, has secured funding for the project entitled “Multifunctional Feed Material Prototypes for Sustainable Cattle Reproduction Management” (acronym: SUSREPRO).
The project has received funding from the state budget under the EUREKA Initiative – 2025 call.
The aim of the project is to develop innovative feed materials based on dairy industry by-products. The proposed solutions are intended to support the health and reproductive performance of dairy cows and calves, while addressing current challenges related to sustainable food production.
As part of the project, researchers will develop and test prototype feed materials with:
- probiotic,
- prebiotic,
- antimicrobial properties.
The studies will also include in vivo experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed solutions under practical farming conditions.
The project aims to improve reproductive efficiency in cattle herds, reduce disease incidence, and decrease antibiotic use in livestock production. Ultimately, the initiative is expected to contribute to safer, more sustainable, and more competitive milk production that responds to both producers’ needs and consumer expectations.
International collaboration
The SUSREPRO project is being implemented by an international consortium of partners from Poland and Lithuania. The consortium includes the InLife Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences as the project leader, the “ESKULAP” Veterinary Clinic led by veterinarian Kamil Kossakowski, the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, and the Lithuanian company Start In.
