The welcome and presentation of the tasks, facilities and subject areas of the Raumberg-Gumpenstein House were given by Director Dr. Johann Gasteiner.
In 3 practical sessions, the delegates were able to learn about relevant projects and results of the HBLFA and its partners.
Block 1: Livestock farming (Dr. Thomas Guggenberger)
63% of the plants harvested by farmers in Austria cannot be utilized without ruminants. This applies to all plants grown in permanent grassland or forage crops, as well as the by-products of arable crops. Farms in Austria utilize this potential in various production systems, ranging from very extensive to slightly intensive.
The central focus of the discussions with participants from around the world was the question of which animals are the most efficient available globally. The Institute for Livestock Research is in a fortunate position to make generally applicable recommendations. The fundamental principle that animal performance should be adapted to the natural potential of the farms was particularly well received.
This proposal was particularly supported by visitors from southern countries. They emphasized that resilience to heat is becoming an increasingly important aspect of their agriculture and that adaptation to climate change is therefore a high priority. The session concluded with the finding that methane, as a greenhouse gas emitted by ruminants, does not cause additional global warming within its cycle – particularly in Europe.
Block 2 - Grassland Management (Dr. Andreas Schaumberger, Dr. Andreas Klingler, DI Lukas Gaier)
During the excursion, the participants first received a brief introduction to Austrian grassland, with particular emphasis on its importance for disadvantaged areas. The current situation was described, taking into account site conditions, weather, and management practices.
Subsequently, various research experiments presented:
CutGrass: Referring to the SatGrass app, it was explained how digitalization and the use of satellite data in combination with AI models can provide valuable information for practical agriculture. Furthermore, it was explained how the necessary in-situ data is collected at our location.
Many questions concerned returns and growth factors under Austrian conditions. The transferability of the system to other regions was also a major topic – there was definitely interest in implementing similar systems in other countries.
ClimGrass project: The most important results were presented here. The importance of long-term studies was particularly emphasized. Under the future conditions, a higher annual yield was only observed after five years, as the plant population needs a longer period to adapt to the changed conditions. Numerous questions were also asked about the measurement technology.
The group showed great interest, asking many questions about both Austrian grasslands and our experimental plots and research projects. Overall, it was a stimulating exchange that highlighted the strong interest in modern grassland research and its practical application.
Block 3 - Rumen sensor (Dr. Johann Gasteiner and Dr. Philipp Breitegger - smaXtec)
The long-standing collaboration between HBLFA and smaXtec led to the development and continuous improvement of the now globally successful rumen sensor . This recognized tool for herd management and the early detection of animal diseases combines top-level expertise, state-of-the-art digitalization, and the use of artificial intelligence.
Completely new insights into dairy cows and innovative solutions for sustainable and efficient milk production were conveyed to the participants by Dr. Johann Gasteiner and Dr. Philipp Breitegger (smaXtec).
A lecture by Dr. Elfriede Ofner-Schröck at the IFCN Supporter Conference in Graz on the topic of animal welfare rounded off the expertise of HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein in this area of milk production, which is important for Austrian agriculture.
The delegation was very impressed by the projects and results, but also by the modern opportunities that the Raumberg-Gumpenstein site offers with its combination of teaching and research.
