The event was opened by Dr. Georg Terler, representing Direktor Dr. Johann Gasteiner of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, who welcomed the participants and speakers. The first session focused on feeding and breeding, led by Roland Taferner, a graduate student from the Austrian Federal Association for Sheep and Goats (ÖBSZ). Melanie Haas, a graduate student at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), spoke about optimizing milk production in sheep through proper rearing and feeding management. Following this, Dr. Birgit Fürst-Waltl, also from BOKU Vienna, presented new traits in sheep breeding value estimation. The first session concluded with a presentation by Johann Perner from Pilsbach in Upper Austria, who explained the key considerations for feeding a total mixed ration (TMR) in lamb production.
The second session of the conference, chaired by Dr. Margit Velik from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, focused entirely on forage. Lukas Gaier, also from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, spoke about improving forage quality through crop optimization. Reinhard Resch, also from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, then addressed the prevention of quality and yield losses as key to improving the quality of silage and hay. Martin Gruber, from the veterinary practice in Semriach, reported on the effects of forage contamination on animal health.
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to current research findings on the complex issues surrounding alpine farming, which led to the third session. Dr. Thomas Guggenberger from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein chaired this session. DI Markus Fischer from the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture kicked things off with a presentation on alpine farming within the framework of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Dr. Guggenberger then spoke about surveying forage areas and the natural grazing behavior of sheep and goats, as well as how GPS collars track and record their location. Simon Moser, MSc, from the Alpe Österreich office, reported on strategies, developments, and perspectives for livestock protection projects on sheep pastures in the Tyrolean Oberland. Markus Pekoll, mountain bike coordinator for the Styrian government, explained whether mountain biking on alpine pastures needs to be rethought. DI Josef Meierl, forestry teacher at the HBLFA, addressed the hunting perspective in his short presentation, focusing on the interplay between alpine pastures, hunting, livestock, and wildlife. Evelyn Zarfl, Chairwoman of the Austrian Breeding and Nature Conservation Center (ÖBSZ), addressed the question of whether the wolf has a place in Austria in her detailed statement. The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring all the afternoon's speakers, as well as journalist Konrad Liebchen and Ferdinand Ringdorfer, former head of the Sheep and Goat Department at the Higher Federal Institute for Agricultural Education and HBLFA). The panel discussion was moderated by Thomas Guggenberger, giving all participants another opportunity to ask questions and offer suggestions.
Feedback from conference participants and the lively discussion following the presentations demonstrated the high level of interest in the conference. This hybrid event offered a valuable continuing education opportunity for interested farmers, consultants, teachers, and experts in sheep farming.
Pictures from the 12th Sheep Conference
Proceedings of the Sheep Conference 2022
Conference papers and presentations