A success story in animal breeding: rethinking consumer communication
Animal breeding has made enormous progress in recent decades. Alongside increases in milk yield and feed conversion, improvements in animal health represent a significant achievement in breeding. However, animal breeding and livestock farming form part of an economic sector characterised by rapid structural change and drastically shifting operating conditions, and one that is often criticised.
Animal breeding is an innovative sector; methods and objectives have changed enormously since its inception. Today, breeding takes into account not only performance but also the complex interrelationships between health and behaviour, as these form the basis of healthy food production. To tell this success story, the Förderverein Bioökonomieforschung e.V., the Bundesverband Rind und Schwein e.V. and the AFC Consulting Group launched the ‘Success Story: Animal Breeding’ project in 2021. The project was funded for a period of 1.5 years by the Federal Programme for Livestock Farming of the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE). In addition to the scientific research, a key objective of the project was to publish a socially acceptable communication strategy designed to spark consumer interest.
Through information campaigns – some of which are deliberately provocative – the aim is to facilitate the transfer of knowledge regarding the development and successes of German livestock breeding. To this end, three levels of information were developed within the project:
Level 1: Attracting attention through targeted provocation
Level 2: Fact-based, easily understandable information
Level 3: In-depth specialist knowledge
The ‘Success Story: Animal Breeding’ project compiled facts on various aspects of animal breeding. These were presented both through simple infographics and in detailed texts. The graphics and texts remain available throughout the project’s duration on the project website and via the FBF.
Contact
Förderverein Bioökonomieforschung e.V.
