The most significant changes are that the new recommendations introduce convertible energy (ME) and small intestinal digestible protein (sidP) as new indicators of the energy and protein supply In addition, the methodology for determining the key requirement figures and the feed value was also changed significantly. This has a significant impact on feeding practices as well as upstream and downstream areas in Austria. The new GfE recommendations are to be implemented in Austria in the next few years.

In the course of this new DAFNE project “UFE-Kuh_GfE2023”, the implementation of the new GfE recommendations in Austria to be coordinated on the one hand and, on the other hand, Austria-specific basis for ration calculations according to the new methodology are to be created. working group should be set up to coordinate implementation . Experts from science, consulting, the feed industry, legislation and further education will be represented in this working group in order to enable the new GfE recommendations to be implemented as quickly and comprehensively Furthermore, information documents are created and further education events are offered in order to ensure that the implementation in agricultural practice is as smooth as possible.

In the second part of this project, the protein fractions, the amino acid pattern and the UDP digestibility of forage samples from scientific experiments at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein are analyzed. In addition, the protein degradability of feed in the rumen is also determined from data from previous experiments. Knowledge of protein degradability (can be derived from the protein fractions) and the amino acid pattern are a prerequisite for an exact ration calculation according to the new GfE recommendations. However, so far there is hardly any data on these feed value parameters in typical Austrian basic feed. The HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein and the Institute for Animal Nutrition, Animal Food and Nutritional Physiology at BOKU Vienna will therefore carry out extensive analyzes of the above-mentioned feed value parameters in basic feed samples over the next few years. The results of this project are intended to expand the feed value tables for basic feed from the Alpine region to include the new feed value parameters .