HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein launches survey campaign to document the effects on yield and feed quality
The 2026 growing season presents many grassland farms in Austria with particular challenges. After a relatively early start to the growing season, the development of grassland initially fell short of expectations. A lack of rainfall combined with low temperatures limited the growth of the first crop. In the following weeks, the weather changed fundamentally: the cool spring drought gave way to a pronounced combination of heat and water scarcity.
The second half of June was characterized by exceptionally high temperatures and low rainfall. According to GeoSphere Austria, June 2026 was among the warmest Junes on record in Austria; at the same time, the hot and dry weather significantly exacerbated the existing drought. By the end of June, Austria had received approximately 27 percent less precipitation than the long-term average since the beginning of the year. In some regions, the deficits were considerably higher.
The tense situation continued into July. Across Austria, rainfall was around 53 percent lower than the average for the climate period 1991–2020, while temperatures were about 2 °C above the long-term average. The month was particularly dry north of the main Alpine ridge.
Grassland is particularly affected by water shortage
Such a weather pattern is particularly problematic for grassland. Productive grassland stands depend on a sufficient and, ideally, continuous water supply throughout the growing season. Water scarcity directly limits plant growth and can therefore affect both biomass yield and further stand development.
The situation in 2026 is also remarkable because different stress factors followed one another in quick succession: After the early start to the growing season, the stands developed only sluggishly in the spring due to drought and low temperatures. The pronounced heat and increasing rainfall deficit in June and July then further exacerbated the growing conditions.
For grassland farming, the central question therefore arises: How strongly does this exceptional weather actually affect the yield and quality of grassland stands?
Around 30 businesses are being investigated
To accurately assess the impact of the current drought, the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein has launched a targeted survey campaign. Currently, grassland areas are being examined on approximately 30 farms in particularly affected regions . The focus is on Upper Austria and Lower Austria, as well as parts of Styria.
Each survey begins with detailed documentation of the site. Additionally, information about the specific vegetation is recorded: What type of vegetation is it? How old is the stand at the time of the survey, and under what conditions did it develop?
A standardized biomass sampling is then carried out. For this purpose, a defined grassland area is harvested three times, and the plant material is taken as a destructive sample. Based on this, the actual dry matter yield of the stand can be determined after drying .
The collected plant samples are then taken to the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein for further laboratory analysis. In addition to yield, key quality parameters of the grassland forage a focus. This allows researchers to determine not only how much biomass was produced under the current conditions, but also the impact of the drought on forage quality.
Data from an exceptional year
The survey pursues two central objectives. Firstly, the data is intended to contribute to the most objective possible quantification of the impact of the 2026 drought on Austrian grassland. The studies provide snapshots directly from agricultural practice and make it possible to visualize differences between locations, crop growth, and regions.
Furthermore, the data are also of particular value for the further development of grassland models. At the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, grassland research utilizes models for estimating yield and quality trends, such as those developed in the SatGrass . SatGrass focuses on satellite-based modeling of grassland yield and quality.
Exceptional weather conditions pose significant challenges for such models. Combinations of early vegetation start, low spring temperatures, persistent rainfall deficit, and extreme summer heat are relatively rare in existing datasets. Consequently, it is difficult to reliably depict the response of grasslands under such conditions.
Better understand and model extreme events
The drought of 2026 therefore offers – despite its considerable impact on agricultural practices – an important opportunity from a scientific perspective to expand existing datasets. Yield and quality data collected directly on farms can be linked with site, crop, and weather information.
This creates a valuable foundation for both a better understanding of the current situation and the further development of grassland models for future extreme events. The aim is to be able to make more reliable predictions about the development of grassland yields and forage quality, even under difficult and exceptional weather conditions.
The ongoing survey campaign thus combines the documentation of an exceptional drought year with the long-term development of grassland research at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein.
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