Stations of the research workshop:
Biogas production experiment:
Alfred Pöllinger and Stefan Danglmaier (EmiSlAdd project) – Are manure and slurry just smelly “agricultural fertilizers” or do they also provide energy? How much energy can I extract from manure and slurry? Can I make this visible and tangible? Be surprised by the experiments!
Olfactometry:
Michael Kropsch (WiPraX III project) - Energy doesn't just mean electricity and heat – "work" is also a form of energy. In the "smell workshop," you can experience how much work and energy are needed to find out whether the animals on the farm have a strong odor or not!
Energy input for meat production:
Margit Velik and Roland Kitzer – How do grass and hay get into the meat? How much energy is needed to produce a kilogram of meat? Is meat essential for life, or can we do without it? Who will care for our beautiful landscape? Let our meat tasting surprise you.
At 9:00 a.m., the curious young students arrived at the research institute, where Renate Mayer from the Acquisitions department welcomed them and Wolfgang Riedl, the coordinator of the Children's Academy. On the way to Gumpenstein Castle, the children also received a warm welcome from the head of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Dr. Johann Gasteiner. He encouraged the interested students to always ask questions when terms or phrases were unclear and to form their own opinions on technical topics only after conducting thorough research.
First, the students made their way to Michael Kropsch's "scent workshop." They successfully identified the smells of various farm animals, such as pigs and cattle, as well as scents of lemon and vanilla. Four inquisitive young students then had the opportunity to test their sense of smell using olfactometry (the measurement of odor intensity). The olfactometry bags were connected to the device, and the students tested their sense of smell for low concentrations of liquid manure. It turned out that all the participants possessed an exceptional sense of smell. Not a single mistake was made!
After a short break, the curious students made their way to the manure testing facility. Using a pH meter, the eager young researchers measured the manure's pH level, which ranged between 6 and 7. They then stirred the manure with a drill. A pump was used to draw the gas from the manure tanks into olfactometry bags. The students took turns squeezing the gas out of the bags, holding the hose under a Bunsen burner, which produced a large burst of flame. This experiment illustrates the energy potential released by the manure and explains the function of a mini-biogas plant in a simple way.
At the last stop, even before lunch, all the foodies were in for a treat. Margit Velik explained the different cattle breeds and their potential uses (milk, meat) to the students. Concentrated feed provides the cattle with the most energy. In the barn, the young, caring visitors petted the oxen. Afterwards, the slaughterhouse was visited, and the slaughtering process was explained. Finally, a tasting of pork and beef (produced in Gumpenstein) was, of course, a must. After this informative day, the young scientists fortified themselves with schnitzel and potatoes or the vegetarian alternative, Kaspressknödel (cheese dumplings).