The HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein was represented with several contributions to showcase the research work carried out in the department:
Irene Mösenbacher-Molterer gave a presentation in Session 39 (Innovations and perspectives in horse keeping and their roles in society) on "Improving climate parameters in horse husbandry by using a tube ventilation system.
She demonstrated how the targeted use of tube ventilation systems can improve the stable climate in horse husbandry year-round. The stated goals are to reduce heat stress in summer, decrease dust levels, and adapt relative humidity during the winter months – an important step towards greater animal welfare and adaptation to changing climatic conditions.
Dr. Leopold Podstatzky-Lichtenstein made a further contribution , chairing a scientific session (Small ruminant health & welfare) together with Mariana Dantas de Brito Almeida from Portugal.
The HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein was also visibly represented in the poster presentations – including a poster by DI Nora Durec (Poster 64.20 - Breeding of E.-coli resistant pigs: The end of post weaning diarrhoea?!) as well as further contributions by Dr. Leopold Podstatzky-Lichtenstein (Poster 35.14 – Continuous milking in goats: data from goat milking farms and aspects of practicability and breeding goats & Poster 35.15 Effects of dietary protein supplementation on the periparturient relaxation of immunity towards gastrointestinal nematodes in a mountain goat breed).
In Session 11, "Optimizing grazing livestock systems for food production and ecosystem services," Dr. Margit Velik a presentation on fattening Holstein-Angus beef on continuous pasture in mountainous regions – implications for productivity and meat quality. Ecological considerations and consumer demand for sustainably produced agricultural food are reinforcing the trend of fattening cattle on pasture during the grazing season. One study compared the fattening of Holstein-Angus (HF-AA) steers and heifers with Simmental (FV) steers on pasture.
Particularly gratifying was the participation of Anna Lena Molterer, a graduate of HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein (class of 2025). During a six-week internship at Sustainable Animal Husbandry Austria (NTÖ) in Vienna, she supported the organizing team of the EAAP Congress on-site in Innsbruck and made a valuable contribution to the successful execution of the event (second from left in the picture).
The EAAP Congress 2025 was therefore not only an important meeting place for international knowledge exchange, but also a platform for promoting young talent and scientific networking.
Special thanks are due to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management, which, as a reliable partner, makes a central contribution to the further development of Austrian livestock research in the individual departments, with processing via the DaFNE research platform.
The 77th EAAP Annual Meeting will take place from September 7th to 11th, 2026 in Hamburg, Germany. Further details will be available soon at www.eaap.org.
Report: Irene Mösenbacher-Molterer
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