The event was hosted by the Direktor of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein Dr. Johann Gasteiner and DI Roland Taferner from the Austrian Federal Association for Sheep and Goats opened. The first block of lectures was dedicated to the topic of animal welfare , which was led by DIin Gappmaier from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. PDin Dr. Christine Leeb from BOKU Vienna started with her contribution “Animal welfare on dairy sheep farms” . The hoof health of sheep is a very important area of animal welfare. Mag. Martin Gruber from the veterinary practice in Semriach gave a lecture on this and focused on rot and options for renovation . The last contribution of this block was made by Mag.a Julia Gleissenberger from the Strele veterinary practice in Westendorf in Tyrol and reported on heat stress and optimal water supply in the pasture.
The second block of the conference, with the chairman Dipl.-Ing. Roland Taferner, was all about breeding and endangered farm animal breeds . PD Dr. Birgit Fürst-Waltl from BOKU Vienna talked about the new breeding value estimates and breeding characteristics . Eduard Penker and the breeder Claudia Sackl from the Carinthian Sheep and Goat Breeding Association were there “Breeding in practice – annual process and tasks” current breeding of the Carinthian spectacled sheep in a second contribution , thus ending the second block.
In the afternoon, the focus was feeding and management , which also brought us to block three. The chairman of block three was Dr. Georg Terler from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. At the beginning of the third block we started with a topic that is currently very pressing, namely bluetongue disease . Dr. Karl-Heinz Kaulfuß, veterinarian in Heimburg (DE), reported on his own experiences with the disease, the treatment and, above all, the vaccination. then took over DIin with her research project “Sugar lamb: producing quality meat with hay” . The resistance of sheep to endoparasites was explained by Dr. Thomas Guggenberger from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. Roland Gutwenger, Bakk, made a very practical contribution. techn., as well as HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, for the effective composting of sheep manure on their own farm. DIin also from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, took over the last contribution to the conference and provided information about the new training she is leading for sheep and goatherds, which will take place for the first time in spring 2025.
Positive feedback from conference participants demonstrated great interest in the conference. offered interested farmers, advisors, teachers and sheep farming specialists a valuable further training opportunity
Proceedings of the sheep conference
Conference contributions and lectures
Insights into the conference
Recordings of the conference
PD in Dr. Christine Leeb: Animal welfare on the dairy sheep farm
Mag. Martin Gruber: Rothinke - renovation of your own company
