National projects

TIRAC

TIRAC is a project carried out by a supra-autonomous Operational Group (covering the regions of Galicia, Madrid and Navarra) whose purpose is to reduce the consumption of antibiotics against digestive problems in fattening rabbits, ensuring their health and profitability for the livestock.

The project will apply innovative techniques in the field of nutrition that allow the reduction of the use of antibiotics against digestive problems in fattening rabbits, ensuring their health and profitability for the farmer. Reducing the use of antibiotics is the main challenge facing the rabbit sector today, and it is very likely that the lack of solutions will lead to the failure of a weakly organized sector.

This innovation project focuses on studying various nutritional strategies—focused on a feed formulation with a low protein level and a moderate level of soluble fiber, together with the incorporation of macroalgae and/or algae extracts—in rabbits with the objective to improve intestinal health and therefore allow a reduction/elimination of the use of antibiotics. At the same time, the aim is to achieve better quality meat (with a heart-healthy lipid profile, higher mineral content and antioxidant potential) and enhance the algae production sector.

The Operational Groups, main actors in the implementation of the AEI-Agri (European Association of Innovation in productive and sustainable agriculture), are one of the key tools in the execution of the National Rural Development Program 2014-2020 to promote innovation in the agri-food and forestry sector within the European sphere. This is the grouping of agents with different profiles with common interests, such as farmers, ranchers, companies, research or training and dissemination centres, who come together to launch an innovation project in order to provide a joint response and multisectorial to a problem or need.

More information:

The entity responsible for the content of this website is the TIRAC Operating Group

FUNDING

This innovation project is co-financed 80% by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (FEADER) of the European Union and 20% by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, within the framework of the National Rural Development Program 2014 -2020. Total subsidy: €485,043.39 The Directorate General for Rural Development, Innovation and Agrifood Training (DGDRIFA) is the authority in charge of applying said aid.

BUDGET

491,919.39€

PARTNERS

Participating members:

  • Galician University Enterprise Foundation (FEUGA).
  • De Heus Nutrición Animal S.A, representative of the Operating Group.
  • Porto-Muiños S.L.
  • University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) through the Research Groups in Animal Medicine (ImedA), Veterinary Pathological Anatomy (GAPAVET), Animal Health Research (INVESAGA), Food Hygiene, Inspection and Control (LHICA) and Food Safety (LREC).
  • Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM), through the Animal Production Research Group (PRAN)

Outsourced members:

  • Naraba Rabbit Breeders Cooperative Society
  • PROGACUN-Association of Galician rabbit producers
  • Farm J. Echegoyen S.L.U.

Success stories