In practice, many farms experience fluctuations in milk production and milk ingredients during these months. This is a sign of errors in feeding. Overall, grazing in Austria is declining, although the points listed above are certainly one of the reasons for this. A move away from pasture farming can be observed, particularly among those farms that strive for a high milk yield per cow. In this context, however, the agricultural policy framework must also be taken into account.

As part of the negotiations on Agenda 2000, Austria renounced a specific increase in the quota in mountain areas in favor of an extensification premium for dairy cows in mountain areas. In order to be able to claim this premium, at least 50% of the reported forage areas must be declared as pastureland and the RGVE stock per hectare must not exceed 1.4. From this perspective, a further decline in grazing could be prevented, at least in the medium term. Pasture feed is also a very cost-effective feed. In addition, the expectations of consumers - pasture is classified as very close to nature - should not be neglected.

There are practically no scientific studies on grazing dairy cows under Austrian production conditions. The aim of the present project was therefore to compare green feeding on the pasture (day pasture or day and night pasture) and in the stable. The effects on feed intake as well as on the nutrient supply and performance of dairy cows should be examined. In addition, the behavior of the animals on the pasture over the course of the day and depending on climatic factors should be examined using video recordings.