Goals and tasks
Starz Walter, Dr.
- Further information
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- Scientific Director of the Department
- Development, coordination and execution of practically relevant research projects within the framework of precise experiments
- Writing and publishing scientific and professional publications
- Holding expert presentations; serving as a contact point for consultants and practitioners on specialist questions
Lime and pH value in grassland soil
A living soil is the foundation of every successful organic grassland farm. It determines how stable yields and forage quality are...
Austria, Bavaria and South Tyrol launch joint research on climate-resilient bean and millet varieties
At the beginning of 2026, a transnational three-year research project on climate change adaptation was launched by the regions of Bavaria, South Tyrol, and Austria...
Final report BioFieldFood – New perspectives for food crops in organic agriculture (BioFieldFood)
The BioFieldFood project investigated from 2021 to 2025 how selected food crops thrive under organic farming conditions...
Shaping biodiversity in grassland together – the FRAMEwork project in the Mostviertel region (FRAMEwork)
How can biodiversity in grasslands be effectively promoted – together with local farmers? This question is addressed in...
Review of the organic farming conference - "Research meets practice"
Successful organic farming conference at HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. This year's Austrian organic farming conference took place at HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein on November 13, 2025...
LTER-Austria Conference 2025: Exchange on long-term ecological research
At this year's LTER-Austria annual conference at Mondsee, experts presented the latest findings and developments in ecological...
Behind the scenes of biological research - Organic meat information platform
In the latest episode of our organic meat information podcast, we take a look at where science and agricultural practice directly intersect...
Feasibility study for the establishment of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein in the European long-term research infrastructure eLTER RI (eLTER_RI_AREC)
To study long-term ecological and complex relationships between humans and the environment and their changes, a corresponding...
Children's Academy Rottenmann visits the Bio-Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein
As part of this year's Rottenmann Children's Academy, which was themed "The Cycle of Matter," students visited the ...
Studies on the avoidance of food-grade concentrated feed components in organic dairy cattle feeding (By-Product)
The efficient use of scarce resources is one of the major future issues in agriculture. This is especially true in organic dairy farming...
Naturland Pasture Management Presentation
On May 27, 2025, a training webinar on pasture management took place at the invitation of the organic farming association Naturland. The following recording of this presentation can be found...
Iris meadows and renaturation projects
On Saturday, May 24th, the Provincial Councillor for Nature Conservation, Hannes Amesbauer, together with representatives of the Nature Conservation Association and the HBLFA Ra..., visited...
Pasture innovations – Important project results for practical application
The "EIP Pasture Innovations" project was launched to meet the increased demands on pasture farming, particularly in organic agriculture...
Clover grass, manure and ruminants – sustainability, soil fertility & yield - Podcast 113
Clover grass and ruminants as the key to sustainable agriculture - higher yields, healthy soils and climate-resilient farms. Clover is far more than...
Austrian Conference on Organic Agriculture 2025
The Austrian Conference on Organic Agriculture will take place on Thursday, November 13, 2025 at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein...
Improving the yield of organic meadows and pastures through regular reseeding and supplemental fertilization with phosphorus and sulfur
The "BioNaDü" project focused on improving the productivity of organically managed meadows and pastures through regular...
Effects of forage herbs in managed grassland on plant population, yield and forage quality under conventional and organic conditions
A high-performing permanent grassland stand adapted to the location is a key foundation for sustainable and economically successful...
Phosphorus and sulfur fertilization on organic grassland 85. Podcast
For most organic grassland farms in Central Europe, farm-produced manure is the primary source of nutrients.
Integrating arable land into grazing - 82. Podcast
How can arable land be optimally used for grazing, and what needs to be considered? The regulations for organic farming stipulate...
Competence centre for organic farming of LfL Bavaria visits Bio Institute
The Organic Farming Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein has been working closely with the LfL's Organic Farming Competence Center in Bavaria for many years.
EU Project Framework - Biodiversity and Citizen Science at the Organic Farm Schuller
The framework project is very diverse. One goal is to increase biodiversity on the participating farms in various EU member states...
Field Day 2024 in Lambach
At the arable farming field day of the Organic Institute in Lambach/Stadl-Paura on June 12, interested visitors learned about the currently ongoing veterinary practices...
Cultivation optimization for sought-after organic food crops
BioOptiFood Research Project: This project builds on the findings of its predecessor project, BioFieldFood, and aims to develop practical solutions...
Organic Livestock Farming Day with HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein
On Friday, April 26, 2024, Bio AUSTRIA, together with the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, hosted an event at the R... State Agricultural Training Center.
Bio-Institute at the international scientific conference on organic farming
The 17th Scientific Conference on Organic Agriculture took place at Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) from March 5th to 8th, 2024. The theme was...
Organic clover and alfalfa grass - slides and summary
The Austrian Working Group for Grassland and Livestock Farming has published a new ÖAG information sheet on the topic of organic clover and alfalfa grass - recommendations...
Organic research cooperation with LfL in Bavaria
As part of the ongoing cooperation with the LfL in Bavaria, which has been running for several years, colleagues visited our location of the Bio-Institute in Lamba...
Graduated use in permanent grassland - 59th podcast
Differentiated grassland management aims to combine economic viability and biodiversity. It is not crucial to convert all grassland areas into flower meadows...
Organic clover and alfalfa grass
The new ÖAG technical information sheet "Organic Clover and Alfalfa Grass" is now available. Clover and alfalfa grass are indispensable in arable crop rotation. In the...
Excursion from Denmark to Moarhof
Students from Kalø Organic Farming College in Denmark visited, among other places, the organic farming institute at the Trautenfeld site as part of a field trip...
Effects of short-grass or paddock grazing of dairy cows on individual animal and area performance
More milk with paddock or short-grass pasture? Each grazing system has its specific advantages and disadvantages. Paddock pastures are less suitable in dry conditions...
Effects of short-grass or paddock grazing of dairy cows on individual animal and area performance
More milk with paddock or short-grass pasture? Each grazing system has its specific advantages and disadvantages. Paddock pastures are less suitable in dry conditions...
Network hub Bio-Institute
The Biology Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein is a network hub for research, teaching, consulting, and practical application. Thus, on September 28, 2023, the following event took place...
Protected areas in the Middle Styrian Enns Valley – From the past to the future
The central Styrian Enns Valley has been shaped by landscape changes and economic transformations for millennia. ...
Organic Farming Field Day 2023 - Visit to current trials and lots of information
The annual field day took place on June 20, 2023, at the Bio-Institute site in Lambach/Stadl-Paura. Interested visitors learned about...
Organic Farming Field Day 2024 - Visit to current trials and lots of information
The annual field day will take place on June 12, 2024, at the Bio-Institute site in Lambach/Stadl-Paura. In addition to a tour of the current experimental setups...
President of the Upper Austrian Chamber of Agriculture at the Institute for Organic Agriculture
Franz Waldenberger visited the organic farming site in Lambach/Stadl-Paura and learned about the research in the field of edible legumes. ...
Akuter Grundfuttermangel - rasch reagieren - 20. Podcast
A shortage of basic feed can be life-threatening – how can one react? If it is clear that the feed for the coming winter months will not be available...
Grazing, when it is dry - 19. Podcast
What to consider when grazing during drought: Special grazing management is needed in drought-prone areas. The plant population...
Species-rich pasture mixtures for the high-precipitation area in the Alps
Grazing is a central component of organic farming and is also included in the guidelines as a mandatory feeding system for...
Contribution of tiered grassland use to yield and biodiversity optimization on organic farms
Consumers who increasingly choose organic products also have a high sensitivity to...
International students at the Bio-Institute
At the beginning of May, international students from Canada, France, Germany and Austria of the European Master in Organic Agriculture and Food program visited...
Grassland advisors' meeting at the Organic Farming Institute
On April 13, 2023, the meeting of Austrian grassland organic farming consultants took place in the new organic farming institute building of the HBFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein at Moarhof...
Austrian Conference on Organic Agriculture 2024
The Austrian Conference on Organic Agriculture will take place at the HLBLA St. Florian on Thursday, November 14th.
New ÖAG brochure: Getting started with pasture farming - tips and tricks for success
The specialist group "Organic Agriculture", under the leadership of Priv.-Doz. Dr. Andreas Steinwidder has published the specialist information 1/2022 on the topic of "...
Pasture knowledge in a nutshell – From A for vegetation to Z for fence
Under this motto, this year's LANDWIRT Online Cattle Symposium will start on Tuesday, February 22, 2022. ...
The outdoor classroom has been opened
In their project-based learning for the 2020/2021 school year, the students of the second advanced training course at HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein focused on...
Students bring the Trautenfels flowering meadows to life - An adventure for young and old in the open-air classroom!
In their project-based learning for the 2020/2021 school year, the students of the second advanced training course at HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein focused on...
A culture with three functions
The cultivation of forage crops is a key factor in Reinhard Pöllauer's farm for optimizing nutrient cycles.
Mob grazing - a way out of the drought dilemma?
Is mob grazing the right grazing strategy in dry summers? This question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. Helpful decision criteria...
Mob grazing – a grazing strategy against drought
Dry summer months and heat are challenges that farms with pasture-based livestock farming face anew each year.
Seed for forage production - keep an eye on cultivation and storage!
Forage crops, as an essential crop in organic farming, require not only appropriate cultivation practices, crop management and utilization...
Effects of short-grass or paddock grazing of dairy cows on individual animal and area performance
Pasture-based farming has gained importance in recent years; it is of central importance and essential in organic farming...
Effects of short-grass or paddock grazing of dairy cows on individual animal and area performance
Pasture-based farming has gained importance in recent years; it is of central importance and essential in organic farming...
From the field to the plate – traditional and new species as food culture
The main goal of this research project is to promote and subsequently increase the production of domestically grown food in agriculture.
Nutrient optimization in organic farming systems using mineral supplementary fertilizers
The "BioOptiDü" project investigates the effects of supplemental fertilization with phosphorus and sulfur to organic fertilizers on grassland and in the...
Framework
Biodiversity is the basis for a stable ecosystem. In recent years, Europe has experienced a drastic loss of near-natural habitats...
Mob Grazing - A grazing strategy for arid regions
Dry summer months and heat are challenges that farms with pasture-based livestock farming face anew each year.
Organic Farming Field Day in Lambach/Stadl Paura
This year's organic farming field day will take place on June 22, 2021 in Lambach. ...
Seed mixtures for intensive grassland management
Seed mixtures for intensive grassland management, taking into account changing climatic conditions (SEEDMIX) ...
Milk fat quality is becoming more important
The composition of milk fat is of particular importance for human nutrition. Researchers at the Biology Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein have now investigated...
Videos of presentations from the 2019 Organic Farming Conference
The Biology Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein welcomed more than two hundred interested conference participants from various regions to this year's Biology Symposium...
Nature conservation prize “The Nettle” for HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein
Renate Mayer, Claudia Plank and Walter Starz from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein are winners of Austria's largest nature conservation prize "...
Flower meadow and sorrel?
This project aims to provide a guide for implementing tiered meadow management at the farm level, for consultants and interested parties...
Graduated use in organic grassland
Graded use in permanent grassland is a management method that benefits both the profitability and yield security of the farm, as well as...
Improvement of intensively used organic meadows through the introduction of Kentucky bluegrass
Intensively used grassland is characterized by a high cutting frequency (over three cuts per year) and high nutrient turnover. Since...
Control options for stabilizing the pH value of cattle manure
The targeted control of manure pH value has only been discussed more intensively in recent years. However, no studies on this have yet been conducted for biological agriculture...
Forage quality and growth performance of permanent pastures at different growth heights
Professional paddock grazing is currently rarely used in Austria. Since it is a very productive grazing system, it would be particularly suitable for...
Influence of spring grazing on the plant population of cut meadows – precise experiment
Grassland, as a permanent crop, reacts to management measures with a delay. Therefore, a project duration of 4 study years (2011-2014...) is planned.
Optimizing liquid manure fertilization on meadows by incorporating additional organic materials
Liquid manure has the disadvantage compared to solid manure that, due to the lack of straw, there is a lower input of organic carbon into the grassland system...
Influence of spring grazing on the plant population of cut meadows – Implementation project “Organic grassland research and advice”
In practice, positive effects of early spring grazing on meadows that are usually cut have been reported. Due to the early...
Verification of carbon dioxide-based foliar fertilization on a permanent meadow
At the organic teaching and research farm of the LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein, experimental plots are being established on a permanent meadow that is cut three times a year. The area...
Adaptation options for montane organic permanent grassland meadows to intensified use
More than half of the agricultural land in Austria is grassland. In Styria, about one-fifth of the meadows and pastures...
Suitability of different clover grass stands for organic farming
This experiment aims to answer several questions. Firstly, it seeks to determine the nitrogen fixation capacity of...
Long-term effects of treated and untreated manure
On the permanent grassland areas of the organic teaching and research farm of the LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein, an exact plot experiment is being carried out in four replicates...
Influence of different grazing methods on soil and plant population in organic farming
The primary goal of this study is to identify grazing methods that ensure a stable and healthy plant population in the long term. H...
Effects of grassland reseeding in a short-grass pasture under organic management
This trial aims to test the suitability of short-grass pasture under the climatic conditions of the Eastern Alps. Furthermore, it raises the question of...
Examination of different alfalfa varieties in the Pannonian climate region
Alfalfa is the most important forage legume in organic farming in the drier regions of Austria. For this reason...
Agricultural resources: Moarhof
The primary goal of the Moarhof agricultural resources is to provide an optimized planning and implementation basis for all precise...
Documentation of the soil and grassland condition at Moarhof
Due to the conversion of the Moarhof farm to organic farming methods, it is necessary to assess the current state of the soil and grassland...
Influence of grassland reseeding on short-grass pasture
During the growing season, the composition of the sward, the total plant biomass production, and the plant height will be determined...
2333: Full pasture grazing of dairy cows
Studies on the full-grazing management of dairy cows under alpine production conditions
2346: Organic meadow
Influence of different grazing methods on soil and plant population in organic farming
2347: Organic short grass pasture - reseeding
Effects of grassland reseeding in a short-grass pasture under organic management
2349: Clover grass Lambach
Suitability of different clover grass stands for organic farming
2350: Full grazing and calving
Studies on calving time in dairy cows kept on full pasture
2354: Organic farmyard manure
Long-term effects of treated and untreated manure
2364: Concentrated feed reduction
Strategies for reducing the use of concentrated feed in organic dairy farms in the mountainous regions of Austria
2367: Montane permanent grassland meadows
Adaptation options for montane organic permanent grassland meadows to intensified use
2368: Liquid manure mulch
Optimizing liquid manure fertilization on meadows by incorporating additional organic materials
2377: KF-Edelhof
Influence of reduced concentrate feed supply on the performance of Fleckvieh cows in organic dairy farming
2378: Vegdyn
Vegetation dynamics in regularly mowed permanent meadows, litter meadows, fens and fallow grassland
2383: Organic Early Pasture
Influence of spring grazing on the plant population of cut meadows – exact experiment (implementation project “Organic grassland research and advice” by Dr. Steinwidder under Dafne 100692 already covered in FJF)
2387: Genotype comparison
Studies on the suitability of cows of different genetic origins for low-input milk production - part of the EU project SOLID
2397: C-stock
Carbon stocks in grassland ecosystems
2403: Cattle farming
Environmental technologies in cattle farming - building an international partner network
2409: System comparison
System comparison – Influence of full pasture or barn feeding on milk production in the mountainous regions of Austria
2416: ILWA
Mother-calf lamb fattening with purebred forest sheep and the crossbreed Forest Sheep x Ile de France on extensive pasture
2418: Organic Panicle Meadow
Improvement of intensively used organic meadows through the introduction of Kentucky bluegrass
2425: PIGAIR
Emission minimization through exhaust air purification systems in pig farming
2433: BioOptiGL
Optimization strategies to increase the efficiency of organic permanent grassland farms
2434: BioSKG
Effect of sulfur fertilization on clover and alfalfa grass stands in organic farming in the Upper Austrian Alpine foothills
2445: BioSulfoPhos
Effect of phosphorus and sulfur fertilization on grain legumes in organic farming
2452: BioNaDü
Improving the yield of organic meadows and pastures through regular reseeding and supplemental fertilization with phosphorus and sulfur
2455: Pasture height
Influence of pasture height on milk yield of cows on full pasture in short grass pasture systems
2459: WiPraX II
Transfer of scientific knowledge into agricultural practice II
2471:BioOptDü
Nutrient optimization in organic farming systems using mineral supplementary fertilizers
2747: Salvere
Near-natural grassland as a resource for improving biodiversity
2914: Grazing trial II
Influence of pasture or stable housing on green fodder intake
3431: WT: Short grass pasture
Short-grass pasture farming of dairy cows
3482: WT: Initial situation Moarhof: Soil / Plant
Documentation of the soil and grassland condition at Moarhof
3483: WT: Short-grass pasture - grassland reseeding
Influence of grassland reseeding on short-grass pasture
3488: WT: Alfalfa varieties in organic farming
Examination of different alfalfa varieties in the Pannonian climate region
3535: WT: Willow Sorrel
Reduction of dock infestation in contaminated grassland areas through targeted grazing management
3563: WT: CO2 fertilization Bio
Verification of CO2-based foliar fertilization on a permanent meadow
3570: WT: Indicator plants
Indicator plants in Austrian grassland
3587: WT: Spring pasture
Influence of spring grazing on the plant population of cut meadows – Implementation project “Organic grassland research and advice”
3598: WT: KlinoSyn
Use of zeolite and a synbiotic in dairy cattle feeding
3610: WT: Pasture-ph
Transition feeding to pasture - Investigations into the pH value and temperature of the rumen contents of dairy cows during the transition from barn to full pasture management
3616: WT: Organic Pasture Growth
Forage quality and growth performance of permanent pastures at different growth heights
3617: WT: Organic Cattle Manure
Control options for stabilizing the pH value of cattle manure
3646: WT AMS pasture
Herd management on dairy pasture farms using automatic milking systems (AMS) – surveys on practical farms in Austria
3647: WT BioGÜpH
Active modification of the pH value of cattle manure by adding inorganic and organic substances
3657: WT Pasture-raised Lamb
Influence of stocking density on area efficiency and performance in pasture-based lamb fattening
3665: WT Carbon
Carbon sequestration in grassland soils
3666: WT Rekult-Iriswiesen
Recultivation of Siberian Iris meadows for biodiversity and sustainable ecological agriculture
3967: Agricultural Reserve: Pig farming Wels
Experimental farm of the LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein in Wels, 40 breeding sows with piglets as well as rearing of gilts for in-house replacement
3969: Agricultural Reserve: Moarhof
Agricultural resources: Moarhof
3971: Agricultural Reserve: Lambach
Agricultural resources: Lambach
3990: Agricultural Reserve: Cultural value of arable crops
Agricultural resources: Cultural value of arable crops
3993: Agricultural Reserve: Cultural value of arable crops (organic)
Cultural value of arable crops