Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Build the European food safety knowledge ecosystem, ensuring safe food as the basis for healthy diets and sustainable food systems.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
The aim is the identification of Article 36 organisations to develop and validate an algorithm or model that can predict the effective temperature in a livestock vehicle using the weather forecast and the effect of mitigating strategies such the use of mechanical ventilation and varying the space allowance given to livestock.
Detailed Call Description
The objective of this call is to sign a grant agreement to carry out the activities in animal welfare to develop and validate a mathematical algorithm that can estimate the effective temperature inside a livestock truck.
Modelling the effective temperature inside a livestock truck:
Heat stress was identified as an important welfare consequence experienced by livestock during transport in the recently published series of EFSA opinions dealing with the welfare of animals during transport produced by the BIOHAW Unit (see EFSA AHAW panel (2022) for details https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7442).
Heat stress, depending on its severity, can have a very negative impact on the welfare of the transported livestock potentially leading to dehydration, fatigue and sometimes death.
The effective temperature within a transport vehicle, which encompasses both air temperature and humidity, is influenced by multiple factors such as the temperature and humidity of the air coming into the truck, the heat and moisture generated by the animals in the vehicle (in turn related to space allowance), the solar radiation shining on the roof and sides of the truck, the heat loss from the vehicle and the ventilation rate within the truck, to name a few. Relatively simple but incomplete mathematical models have already been developed describing the relationship between a number of these factors or variables and the temperature inside a livestock truck, for example Wikner et al. (2003) (PDF) Assessment of air quality in a commercial cattle transport vehicle in Swedish summer and winter conditions (researchgate.net), in the context of commercial cattle transport.
The aim of the present call is the identification of one or several partners among Article 36 organisations to develop and validate a comprehensive algorithm that describes the relationship between weather forecasting data (temperature, humidity, solar radiation), space allowance (using the allometric K value), the ventilation of the truck and the effective temperature (temperature and humidity) within the truck at various times (hourly, for example) and in various geographic places from a transport route. The target species are weaned cattle.
Please note the objective is to estimate and validate summary effective temperature data (max, min, median, for example) within the vehicle using weather forecasting data.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
The form of grant awarded under this Call is based on financing not linked to the costs of the relevant operations in accordance with Article 125 (1)(a) of the EU Financial Regulation. Grants financed in this way require the fulfilment of conditions set out in sector specific rules of Commission decisions or the achievement of results measured by reference to previously set milestones or through performance indicators.
The present call for proposals comes with an innovative and simplified grant management, where the grant amounts paid to the partner are based on the pre-defined sums which are not linked to the actual costs of the action. This means there is no need for co-financing from the partner, and no need for completion of estimated budgets or timesheets to record the work. The agreed sums are set at a level designed to stimulate the mutually convenient partnership creation. The payment of agreed sums from EFSA will be carried out based on the acceptance by EFSA of the delivered work.
If you have questions on this grant form, during the application period, please raise any clarification questions to EFSAProcurement@efsa.europa.eu.
Accordingly, the grant awarded following this Call must comply with certain grant principles established in the EU Financial Regulation, specifically:
- Non-retroactivity: A grant may be awarded for a project which has already begun only where the applicant can demonstrate in the grant application the need to start the action before the grant agreement is signed. The tasks entrusted by EFSA should not be performed before the signature of the grant Agreement.
Article 180(3) of the EU Financial Regulation specifically states that the following grant principles are NOT applicable where the grant takes the form of financing not linked to the costs pursuant to article 125(1)(a):
- Co-financing: In accordance with Article 190 of the Financial Regulation, grants shall involve co-financing.
- No-profit: In accordance with Article 192(3)(d) of the Financial Regulation, grants shall not have the purpose or effect of producing a profit within the framework of the project for the applicant or partner.
- Non-cumulative: In accordance with Article 191(3) of the Financial Regulation, in no circumstances shall the same costs be financed twice from the EU budget.
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Other Thematic Category
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Transport
Eligibility for Participation
- Farmers, Agriculturalists
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
ELIGIBLE ORGANISATIONS:
Only competent organisations, based on designations by Member States, are eligible to apply to the call.
To be eligible, applicants must be on the list of competent organisations designated by the Member States in accordance with Article 36 of Regulation (EC) 178/2002 and Commission Regulation (EC) 2230/2004. This list is regularly updated by EFSA Management Board and is available for consultation using this link https://efsa.force.com/competentorganisations/s/.
In order to achieve the main objective of the call, proposals can be submitted by one eligible organisation or by a consortium of eligible organisations. In case of a consortium, one of the partners must be identified in the proposal as the consortium leader. The applicant (consortium leader) is responsible for identifying consortium partners.
If you are searching for consortium partners, please contact your Focal Point at the following address: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/partnersnetworks/eumembers (section: Focal Points members and observers).
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
EU Contact Point
European Food Safety Authority
Address: Via Carlo Magno 1A, 43126 Parma – Italy
Telephone: +39 0521 036 111
Website: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/aboutefsa/contact