By determining individual feed intake throughout the entire production process (from kid/lamb to the end of the fourth lactation of the goat/sheep) and milk yield, the nutrient input for milk production can be calculated depending on the animal species and feed level (concentrate content). The results allow for the calculation of costs and efficiency in milk production at many different levels of measurement: per kg of milk, per kg of live weight, per nutrient unit of feed, per day of life, and per unit area.
A further objective is the investigation of milk quality. The forage base and concentrate quantity, as well as the animal species, influence the fatty acid profile in animal products. Forage-based rations increase the nutritionally valuable unsaturated fatty acids (CLA and Omega-3) in milk and meat. These two fatty acid groups have a positive effect on human health in the following areas: cardiovascular diseases (lowering blood lipids), skin diseases (e.g., atopic dermatitis), rheumatism, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetogenic, anabolic, antithrombotic, and anti-atherosclerotic effects.
The experimental design (different animal species and feed levels) results in a wide range of input/output ratios, allowing for fundamental economic assessments.
These very different input/output ratios also lead to significantly varying ecological conditions. In particular, the amount of concentrated feed required represents an import of nutrients into the farm under typical Austrian production conditions and influences the environmental footprint. Furthermore, the differences between the experimental animals also mean varying nutrient utilization efficiency, which impacts the environment. Here, too, model calculations based on fully recorded production data from the experiment are applied.
Ultimately, the aim of this project is also to compare the efficiency of milk production from sheep and goats with that of cows.
