Digital Dairy Chain

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Digital Dairy Chain

Transforming the dairy supply chain through innovation, collaboration and growth. A £21 million Strength in Places project.

21/05/2026

On the 22nd of April, our Maker Space Co-ordinator Mark and Catherine from our Think Dairy Careers initiative exhibited at the World Food Prize Foundation UK Youth Institute at University of Cumbria. Supported by a network of partners and contributors, the inaugural event provided an experience designed to empower students to engage with global food security challenges and develop innovative solutions.

In addition to presentations, participants took part in interactive leadership challenges and engaged directly with employers and professionals working in fields aligned with their interests, gaining valuable insight into future career pathways. This is where we were able to share the work Digital Dairy Chain has done to showcase careers in dairy and dairy product development.

The 2027 registration link for young people 15-18 and teachers to register their interest for next year can be found here: https://forms.office.com/e/fLd8D3eRV

Thanks to the team for having us, we had some great conversations!

📸: Catherine and Mark showcasing our work at the event

14/05/2026

🧀🥛🍦🐄Our Maker Space Coordinator Mark Robertson gives his regular update on news from around the Digital Dairy Chain region.

It's been a busy start to the year for Mark between building business in Ayrshire following the official opening of our Ayrshire College Maker Space and working with artisan cheese makers and yogurt producers on training and new products.

Mark is open to conversations with businesses across the Digital Dairy Chain region about diversification and product development about how we can support - Maker Space support is fully funded and therefore free of charge to access.

Read Mark's blog here: https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/digital-dairy-chain-maker-space-latest-news/

13/05/2026

Take your dairy business to new heights with drone-powered insights 🚁🐄

As part of the Digital Dairy Chain you can unlock the power of data in your dairy business, we are offering a FUNDED Remote Sensing and Data Analysis CPD course from the University of the West of Scotland () MSc in Drone Tech to give you the tools to:

🔍 Capture insights using drone technology
📊 Analyse and visualise complex datasets
🤖 Explore machine learning in real-world agricultural settings

This course plays a key role in supporting the upskilling and reskilling of the dairy sector and its wider supply chain, helping businesses build the capabilities needed for a more data-driven, sustainable future.

Whether you're in production, processing, or the wider supply chain, this course is designed to help you innovate and stay competitive.

🎯 Open to dairy sector businesses across South & West Scotland & Cumbria

👉 Secure your place here: https://cpd.uws.ac.uk/w/courses/437-remote-sensing-and-data-analysis

11/05/2026

Happy Cows roadshow concludes this Friday!

Thanks to everyone who has made it along to one of our Happy Cows roadshow events - these have been focused on our cow welfare research work with First Milk, Lactalis and 15 farms across the Digital Dairy Chain region.

We discuss the affects of heat stress (even in Scotland and northern England!), calf environments and overall cow welfare and behaviour that we hope will support farmers now and in the future.

We finish the roadshow in Inchparks Farm, Stranraer on Friday 15th of May, kicking off around 10.30am.

Please register on our website or email [email protected] to let us know you are coming!

https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/event/happy-stock-happy-farm-walk-and-talk-stranraer/

06/05/2026

We kicked off the Happy Cows roadshow yesterday at Park House Farm near Longtown, Cumbria. Thanks to all for coming along and hearing from our team from SRUC School of Veterinary Medicine & Biosciences talk about their cow welfare projects and also the team from Galebreaker speak about heat stress, shed ventilation and their new calf shed, CEVEC.

We are heading to Ayrshire tomorrow to High Garphar Farm and there is still time to sign up! We start at 10.30 and lunch is included at the end.

https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/event/happy-stock-happy-farm-walk-and-talk-ayrshire/ or email [email protected] to let us know you are coming.

29/04/2026

Less than one week to go until our Happy Stock, Happy Farm roadshow kicks off in Cumbria!

We will be sharing the results from our cow welfare research along with information on Galebreaker's new calf shed from researchers within SRUC, cow bedding preferences and a new heat stress project linked to shed ventilation.

We hope to see you at one of our events (lunch included), please register below:

📍 5th May, Longtown: https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/event/happy-stock-happy-farm-walk-and-talk-cumbria/

📍 7th May, Straiton: https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/event/happy-stock-happy-farm-walk-and-talk-ayrshire/

📍 15th May, Stranraer: https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/event/happy-stock-happy-farm-walk-and-talk-stranraer/

28/04/2026

Today we hosted an event at the Dairy Research and Innovation Centre for Scottish Land & Estates members to hear about a range of projects happening within Digital Dairy Chain, including our digital twin, research on bird biodiversity and soil health, the use of drone technology in agriculture and an overview of cyber security for rural businesses. Wrapping up with a highlight on our Think Dairy Careers campaign and Armed Forces to Dairy pilot work experience programme.

The day also included a tour of our lab facilities and our Maker Space product development facilities.

Thanks to the team at Scottish Land & Estates for supporting us and to everyone who attended!

📸 : George Moore and Elena Hogarth, SL&E with DDC Programme Director, Pauline Murray

27/04/2026

As part of our Think Dairy Careers initiative we are delivering a webinar for currently serving Armed Forces personnel considering their future next steps.

Join the Armed Forces to Dairy webinar to explore how a career in the dairy sector could be your next step.

📅 21st May 2026
⏰ 12noon - 1pm

➡️ https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1988064454300?aff=oddtdtcreator

Open to currently serving Armed Forces personnel considering a future transition, this session will highlight the wide range of opportunities available within the dairy industry and how your existing skills—such as teamwork, leadership, problem-solving and working outdoors—can transfer directly into this rewarding sector.

Delivered in partnership with Career Transition Partnership, Ruralink, HighGround, Lowland RFCA and Lantra, the programme includes hands-on work experience placements across nine farms, offering practical insight into day-to-day roles.

During the webinar, you’ll also hear from Becca Brown about her journey from the Royal Navy to running her own contract farming business.

This pilot scheme is designed to support serving personnel who may be considering a change, providing a clear pathway into a purposeful and fulfilling career in dairy.

Please register via: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1988064454300?aff=oddtdtcreator

23/04/2026

The Scottish Women in Dairy network is hosting an event, taking place on the 30th April at Graham's Dairy.

🐄 Colostrum Management & Calf Hygiene Course

Join the network for an informative and practical session focused on improving calf health, growth, and early-life management.

📍 Mains of Boquhan, Kippen, Stirling, FK8 3JQ
📅 Thursday 30th April from 10am – 2pm
Lunch provided

Learn from:
• Leanne Bertram – Herd Manager
• Liz Lunn (Newman) – Advanced Ruminant Nutrition
• Connie Yates – Kersia

This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on knowledge and take away practical tips to improve colostrum management and calf hygiene on your farm.

You can register for this on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/raising-healthy-calves-colostrum-management-and-hygiene-course-tickets-1987135081521?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawRVgKdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBBYUxKSUQxTVdXbGE5NzlBc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHuMi-cd40KvVdsWdTu7ySlniCj3B-x1suWCZSorHuXEXYW3BlH0RdLXUsGsy_aem_idXH-kuAdaGR6jLb8VM0FA

22/04/2026

🌍 This Earth Day we are shining the spotlight on to the Cool Cows project with this video from our partners at Semex UK. Cool Cows is one of Digital Dairy Chain's collaborative R&D projects, (funded through UK Research and Innovation) between project partners Semex UK, SRUC, and Paragon Vet Ltd, who have come together to demonstrate that cows can actually be part of the climate crisis solution.

📉The research has enabled low methane-emitting cows to be identified and bred within the Langhill Herd at SRUC's Barony farm, and the hope for the future is that by continuing to select these cows that emissions could be reduced by 30% or more.

🌿Farmers and agriculture are taking action and playing their part in solving the climate crisis.

Read more about the first calf born in this project here: https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/the-birth-of-one-cow-could-change-the-uks-dairy-industry-forever/

21/04/2026

As part of SRUC's celebration of the Year of the Woman Farmer, we caught up with Tracey Roan, a Scottish Dairy Farmer who has many different threads to her work including being part of our Innovation Broker team working for Owen Farm Services. hear from Tracey about what she thinks about the role of women in agriculture and how the landscape is changing for future generations.

Address

SRUC Barony Campus
Dumfries
DG13NE

Website

https://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/, http://www.digitaldairychain.co.uk/competition-for-young-farmers/

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