From an environmental perspective, livestock farming has been in focus for some time when it comes to “the polluters” and the required reductions in airborne emissions. As is well known, ammonia...
In addition to surveys of soil, nutrient and water balance in grassland, the characterization, evaluation and assessment of plant populations is particularly important. Traditional, destructive surveys like...
Several factors lead to the need to increasingly deal with new techniques for air optimization in livestock stables.
Applied research bears responsibility for stakeholders. In this sense, the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein is connected to the farms in Austria and, based on this responsibility, presents the discussion paper “Basic principles...
At the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, intensive research has been carried out to reduce emissions for years. A new cooling system was tested in a short test - the focus of the investigation was on whether this new system could reduce dust...
This spring was affected by severe drought in large parts of Austria. Especially at the time when the first and usually most productive growth is emerging on the grassland areas, the lack of water...
There are currently around 200,000 suckler cows kept in Austria, which is around 27% of all cows kept in our country. Despite the relatively strong decline (2010: approx. 270,000 suckler cows; 2010-2018: >25%) since the abolition of the suckler cow premium...
New sensor technologies enable valid lying data collection even when kept on pasture. The lying behavior of dairy cows influences animal welfare, animal health and willingness to perform as well as economic efficiency. Compared to...
On Tuesday, July 28th, 2020, a joint neophyte campaign took place with the Gesäuse National Park and the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. The team focused on an alluvial fan on the Enns at the level of the Finstergraben in the core area of...
Climate change undeniably requires strategies to use and protect our natural resources. The “ClimSchool” project was launched at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein last year, in which all...
Organic farms and suppliers to the Hütthaler farm culture project have been obliged to castrate piglets under general anesthesia since 2018. The Institute for Biological Agriculture in Thalheim/Wels received two...
The breakdown of litter in the soil is of great importance for the carbon cycle. When litter is decomposed by soil organisms, the climate-relevant gas CO2 is released. The speed of litter removal depends primarily on the...
Regionality is currently the buzzword par excellence. The use of old and rare breeds in agriculture provides traditional and newly developed products with a regional reference. The majority of breeding animals are...
When filming on the topic of "Smart Farming" for the breakfast format Café Puls, {mosperson:466: Fasching Christian , DI:link} ( HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein) spoke about his specialist area at the Gschier family's organic dairy farm...
Claw diseases play a major role in everyday cattle life. Many factors are important for claw health: feeding and metabolism, for example, have a significant influence on the formation of healthy horn. Also the husbandry system...
In the INTEREG project Camaro-D (Cooperating towards Advanced Management Routines for land use impacts on the water regime in the Danube river basin), a wide range of measures and workshops for flood and drinking water protection were implemented. The...
Pasture farming is becoming increasingly important again in Austria; it is a basic requirement in organic farming. The HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein supports pasture farms through practical research and a wealth of specialist information.
The management of green spaces in mountainous regions is invaluable. Ultimately, this is also a guarantee of the care and preservation of our cultural landscape by the mountain farmers...
“From the trunk to the bowl – there’s diversity in it!” is a new nettle project from Blühendes Österreich, in which the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein is participating. The aim is to create habitats and food for...
This year, 2020, Bio-Austria, the University of Agricultural Education and the Organic Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein are once again organizing a multi-day pasture practitioner training course (4 modules, 7 days) for those interested...
With the help of a multispectral camera and a drone, high-resolution images in the visible range and in the near-infrared range of the solar spectrum have recently been recorded on the test areas of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein.
The smaXtec system collects data using a sensor located directly in the cow's rumen. Information relevant to animal health is sent from inside the cow and is available on the farmer's smartphone or PC within a very short time...
Advancing digitalization offers agriculture the opportunity to automate work processes on the farm, network information via the Internet and thus save valuable working time....
In a recent study, high levels of nutritionally valuable fatty acids were found in cow's milk samples from practical farms. Especially in organic milk, where pasture and green feeding is very important on the farms and...
Better meat marbling, i.e. a higher intramuscular fat content in the meat, is often associated with a higher enjoyment value (tastier, juicier, more tender meat). For example, the Wagyu breeds advertise...
Currently, under the direction of the Diagnostics and Research Institute for Hygiene, Microbiology and Environmental Medicine of the Med. Univ. Graz, in cooperation with the Stmk Office. State government department 15 and with the participation of...
Pasture farming is the most natural form of sheep farming, and also the most cost-effective way to provide the animals with nutrients. However, with pasture farming there is also the risk of exposure to pasture parasites (stomach/intestinal worms,...
Plant species diversity is an important assessment criterion for nature conservation. A high diversity of plant species is an indication of the high nature conservation value of a grassland area. Plant species diversity is also a measure...
Healthy, fertile and productive animals are the wish of every farmer. In order to achieve this goal, a lot of things about the company have to fit together or be optimized. Comfortable, well-air-conditioned stables,...
The aim of the EU Water Framework Directive was to bring all surface waters to a good ecological status by 2015. In justified cases, the achievement of this goal must be ensured by 2021 or by 2027 at the latest.
In Austria, the Berkshire pig breed, which is considered the oldest breed in Great Britain, is relatively unknown. The name is derived from the county of Berkshire, which lies west of London in southern England.
In mid-May 2020, the traditional livestock protection conference took place at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, which was held as a webinar for the first time this year for the occasion. Well-known speakers from home and abroad offered...
Our plant cultivation employees are currently traveling all over Austria to assess a wide variety of wildflower meadows. Wildflower meadows are not only beautiful to look at, but also an important habitat and food source for...
Sustainability assessment in agriculture as a trend-setting aspect in food production should be given (even) more emphasis in lessons in the future. In order to provide our students with a professional focus on environmental...
Ex-situ preservation of the plant genetic diversity of the Austrian extensive grassland. Grassland areas that were previously mown once or twice have either been abandoned in recent decades, resulting in the emergence of other plant communities -...
Reducing stress factors and improving meat quality through farm slaughter
Strips of water and forest edges are usually neglected in the cultural landscape. They are often overgrown by neophytes or are mowed down. Due to missing or irregular water edge strips, water bodies are insufficiently...
Iris meadows with the Siberian iris and star daffodil as key species were once defining elements of the cultural landscape in the Central Styrian Ennstal. The colorful, herb-rich meadows are populated in moderately moist to...
