The focus of the first morning of the conference was the recently completed four-year research project IBeSt – “Innovations for Existing Pig Farms”. For the first time, the results of all work packages were presented to the professional community in a concise and comprehensive manner. The presentations offered valuable insights into current challenges and solutions related to pig farming technology, emissions, and economics, and fostered intensive professional exchange and stimulating discussions among the participants.
A particular highlight was the concluding presentation from the "Human Resources" work package: In the form of a creatively designed dialogue on stage, Ika Darnhofer and Thomas Reisecker impressively portrayed the daily challenges and problems faced by (pig) farmers. The exceptional presentation garnered enthusiastic applause and remained a lasting memory for many participants.
The afternoon program featured three presentations by in-house scientists addressing further highly topical issues: Raditya Subagia presented his research, in which he conducted a comprehensive analysis of experimental data sets generated over several decades from the Gumpenstein poultry farm . Retrospectively, this yielded entirely new insights into the influence of water on ammonia release in poultry farming.
Alfred Pöllinger-Zierler also discussed the question of whether and under what conditions a newly developed partial-surface soil can be useful as an emission-reducing measure in dairy farming
Modern methods for measuring methane and the influence of agriculture and cattle farming on global methane emissions were discussed and critically examined by Thomas Guggenberger under the title "On the trail of methane".
The first day of the event was rounded off with two excursions to the poultry barn and the respiration chamber of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, where participants gained practical insights into current research infrastructures. The successful conclusion was a joint evening event at the Puttererseehof in Aigen im Ennstal, where regional farm products were enjoyed in the form of an excellent barbecue buffet.
The second day of the conference also offered a diverse and forward-looking program. In the first session, " Farm Management & Modern Technologies in Animal Husbandry, " Christian Fritz evaluated digital tools for farm management and environmental assessment, while Irene Mösenbacher-Molterer provided a valuable and comprehensive overview of cooling technologies in livestock farming, particularly relevant in times of climate change . This session concluded with a true innovation from Raumberg-Gumpenstein: developer Andreas Schaumberger presented the brand-new "SatGrass" app , launched just a few weeks prior . This free app serves farmers as a useful tool for satellite-based yield assessment in grassland.
The second session focused on animal welfare and emission reduction : Current topics from the Center for Animal-Friendly Husbandry and Animal Welfare were discussed. This presentation was complemented by a report on testing of barn equipment from Switzerland. Michael Zähner reported on the functionality and animal welfare of a so-called "CowToilet" for dairy cows . Heike Harzer joined online from Germany and presented her measurement results and the resulting effectiveness of natural floating mats in manure storage. Reinhard Resch , Head of the Analytics Department at the HBLFAHigher Federal Institute for Agricultural Research and Testing), provided an impressive overview of the opportunities and limitations of NIRS analysis in agriculture . In the final presentation of the conference, the company Alzchem from Trostberg, Germany, presented the effects of the manure additive Eminex® on manure management with regard to potential emission reduction and nutrient efficiency – a study on this was also conducted at the Gumpenstein manure testing facility.
The 2026 Animal Technology Environment Conference once again demonstrated the great importance of exchange between research, consulting, and agricultural practice. This very coming together of diverse perspectives and expertise makes the event a valuable platform for knowledge transfer, innovation, and discussion of current challenges in modern livestock farming. The participation of a school class from the LWBFS Schlierbach already showed that future farm successors, agricultural consultants, and researchers are showing their interest in the diverse topics surrounding livestock farming, digitalization, and environmental impact.
Proceedings of the Animal-Technology-Environment Conference 2026 (TTU Conference)
Download link for the proceedings of the TTU conference 2026
Photos from the conference
