On November 9th, at the Piacenza campus of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, as part of the dissemination activities of Spoke 6, a flagship project of Formidabilæ, the seminar "Digital Livestock" was held. The seminar was conducted by Joao Dorea, Assistant Professor in Precision Agriculture and Data Analytics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his doctoral student Rafael Ferreira. The two researchers came to Piacenza to install special cameras at the CERZOO experimental farm capable of real-time recording of the body condition of dairy cattle.    The algorithm that yields the result was developed by Dorea's group and holds valuable information related to health, well-being, and productive performance. The cameras will be used at CERZOO to achieve an early diagnosis of any metabolic imbalances in peripartum dairy cows.    Dorea and Ferreira's visit also provided a valuable opportunity for training and scientific exchange, occurring during the seminar and primarily aimed at students, researchers, and professors at the university. Professor Dorea presented the advantages of precision livestock farming (PLF), which, thanks to various types of sensors, allows for large-scale, real-time, automated, and non-invasive data collection at the individual animal level, or related to management and the environment. In this context, Dorea's research focuses mainly on computer vision systems, which extract quantitative information from videos or digital images through artificial intelligence algorithms.    One advantage is that the video/image format can be used to extract much more information compared to a single sensor worn by the animal (e.g., on limbs, collars, or ear tags), which detects only one type of data. The images used can be of different types, such as RGB, infrared, thermal, or depth. During the seminar, some deep learning methods were presented to analyze images, identify animals, and monitor their condition or behavior.    The initial practical applications of image analysis mainly involved calculating body weight and fattening status based on biometric measurements in cattle and pigs, but quickly extended to various aspects of the livestock sector. For example, Dorea's group developed and tested algorithms for monitoring feeding behavior, calculating respiratory frequency in dairy cows subjected to heat stress, and estimating a locomotion score based on the analysis of the animal's gait and the angle of various joints to identify lameness problems. Additionally, through hyperspectral images, it is possible to estimate the particle size of forages and the diet of cattle. Among the applications is the ability to predict some of the typical peripartum pathologies. Images recorded by cameras were used to calculate the fattening status of animals before calving and predict the risk of subclinical ketosis at the onset of lactation.    All these techniques can have significant operational implications in farm management, also ensuring animal welfare. Precision livestock farming has great potential in various areas of the dairy industry to improve efficiency, sustainability, and traceability of animal-origin products.                

On September 24, 2023, at the courtyards of the Botanical Garden of the University of Pavia, 20 researchers from SPOKE 6, representing the Universities of Pavia, Turin, Sassari, and Cattolica del Sacro Cuore of Piacenza, shared their research experiences with over 827 visitors.    The Interactive Exhibition: NODES    The day began with seven research booths, curated by the researchers involved in the "Vino" and "Formidabalæ" flagship projects. This exhibition offered visitors the opportunity to understand the work of the researchers and the innovations developed within the context of NODES.    Through videos, images, and experiments, the research in the primary agro-industry sector was highlighted, promoting dialogue between the academic world and civil society to foster innovation and sustainability in agriculture.    The Two Flagship Projects    In the afternoon, two roundtables focused on SPOKE 6's flagship projects, "Formidabile" and "Vino," allowing for an in-depth exploration of the two primary research areas.    The Exhibition and Farmer's Market of Local Varieties    The "X Exhibition and Farmer's Market of Traditional Lombard Local Varieties," allowed the public to discover and appreciate the ancient agricultural cultivars of Lombardy.    Visitors had the opportunity to taste traditional products, know rare varieties of local crops, and learn about the importance of preserving these agricultural traditions for biodiversity and sustainability.                              

NODES Spoke 6: Presentation of Cascade Funding Calls for South Italy Businesses On May 19th, at the Chiostro del Carmine in Oristano, in collaboration with the University of Pavia and the University of Sassari (UNISS), the South partner of Spoke 6, Linea A cascade calls for businesses in the Mezzogiorno were presented. The event involved over 35 participants, both in person and online, including 20 business representatives, 10  from trade associations, and 5 researchers.    Alberto Stanislao Atzori, Professor of Animal Nutrition and Feeding at the University of Sassari, opened the proceedings, followed by Raffaella di Nardo, representing the NODES Ecosystem. Antonio Gallo, Professor of Animal Nutrition at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Piacenza, then described the two main flagship projects of Spoke 6: Vino and Formidabilæ. Elisa Conz, Professor of Marketing at the University of Pavia and Communication and Dissemination Manager of the Spoke, then delved into the details of the call. Marika Anzalone from Unioncamere Piemonte concluded by providing technical information and guidelines of the Webtelemaco platform.    The meeting was an essential opportunity for networking and exchange, allowing businesses to interact directly with representatives from trade associations and the attending researchers. This exchange of ideas and experiences fostered the creation of synergies and potential future collaborations.    The event provided businesses in the Mezzogiorno with a solid foundation of knowledge and contacts to tackle the challenges of innovation and technological development.   For information about the funding calls and participation guidelines, please refer to the section on the website https://www.ecs-nodes.eu/6-agroindustria-primaria/bandi     

NODES Spoke 6: Presentation of Cascade Funding Calls for Local Businesses On April 19, 2023, the University of Pavia hosted the presentation of cascade funding calls for local businesses as part of the activities of Spoke 6 "Primary Agro-industry" within the three-year project "NODES". The event took place at the Aula Disegno, with an impressive turnout of over 100 attendees, including 57 representatives from businesses, 46 researchers, 10 territorial entities, and 4 industry associations.    The proceedings started with an opening address by Francesco Svelto, the Rector of the University of Pavia, who highlighted the pivotal role of NODES in creating value within the region by fostering the development of research and industrial supply chains in the Primary Agro-industry sector.    This was followed by insightful presentations from key speakers, including Chiara Ferroni, General Director of Nodes, Hermes Giberti (University of Pavia), Coordinator of Spoke 6 and Delegate of the Rector for Technology Transfer, Paolo Gay (University of Turin), Scientific Referent for the project, and Lucia Marazzi, Deputy Manager of Spoke 6 and responsible for Third Mission Services at the University of Pavia. The event concluded with Roberto Strocco (Unioncamere Piemonte) providing detailed information on the application process for funding through the Telemaco platform.      The presentation aimed to not only inform but also inspire local businesses to participate in the cascade funding calls, fostering collaboration between academia and industry and driving innovation in the Primary Agro-industry sector.    For information about the funding calls and participation guidelines, please refer to the section on the website https://www.ecs-nodes.eu/6-agroindustria-primaria/bandi