On March 20, 2024, on the first day of the conference, PD Dr. Andreas Steinwidder, from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, the event. The first block of the conference discussed the new GfE recommendations for dairy cows , in which Dr. Thomas Guggenberger, head of the Institute for Livestock Research at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, took over the chairmanship. In the first lecture, Prof. Dr. Markus Rodehutscord from the University of Hohenheim talks about what innovations and tasks the dairy cattle feeding industry will face as a result of the publication of the new GfE supply recommendations. After a short break, Ing. Reinhard Resch from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein and DI Gerald Stögmüller from the Rosenau feed laboratory focused on the effects of the new GfE recommendations on feed analysis. Dr. Dr. spoke about the challenges facing the animal feed industry. Marc Urdl, from Garant-Tierfutter Gesellschaft mbH and Dr. Georg Terler, also from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, talked about the implementation of the new GfE recommendations in practice, advice and teaching in Austria.
The chairmanship of the second block “Sustainability of the Dairy Industry” was taken over by Dr. George Terler. Dr. Thomas Guggenberger started with his newly completed research report “Environmental compatibility of milk from Austria”. Prof. Dr. from the Cattle Health Switzerland and the Vetsuisse Faculty in Zurich visited us. Martin Kaske and he spoke on the topic “With more competence for the sustainable use of medication on dairy farms”. Dr. Christa Egger-Danner from breeding data reported on current Rinderzucht Austria projects on sustainability in milk production. Heribert Moser from Mariahof presented his farm and how he meets sustainability on his dairy farm. With a short poster presentation by Dr. Georg Terler and PD Dr. Andreas Steinwidder about the results from the EU project Farm4More - clover grass and biochar as feed for monogastrids and ruminants, we had also reached the end of the second block.
In the third block, and thus the last one on day 1, the topic of “suckler cow husbandry” , chaired by Dr. Margit Velik, from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. Johann Häusler, also from the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, presented his new research results on cross-breed dairy cows with Angus and whether these are an option for suckler cow husbandry. Ing. Thomas Lanzer-Breitfuß from Bruck an der Mur told us about his practical experiences in keeping suckler cows. The last lecture of the first day was given by Mag. Anna Koiner from Fleischrinder Austria and talked about new findings and well-known facts about the cattle breeds in Austrian suckler cow farming.
On March 21, 2024, the second day of the conference, the topic was “Climate change adaptation in cattle farming” . The chairmanship of this block was taken over by Dr. Margit Velik. Dr. Christian Koch from the Hofgut Neumühle Livestock Training and Research Institute explained the effects of climate change on cattle farming. Then PD Dr. Andreas Steinwidder presented our company's educational and consulting tools for climate change adaptation to climate change adaptation options in grassland management. Bernhard Krautzer, HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, and Manuel Winter, BSc, was dedicated to adapting pasture farming. by Change Grazing. After a short break, further climate change adaptation measures were discussed in feed planning and feed preservation (Ing. Reinhard Resch) and in feeding (Dr. Georg Terler). Finally, Ing. Eduard Zentner, HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, introduced the participants to some interesting concepts for air conditioning in stables.
The lively participation in the discussion and the feedback from the conference participants showed great interest in the annual conference. This hybrid event once again offered interested farmers, advisors, teachers and livestock industry professionals a valuable training opportunity .
Impressions from the 51st livestock industry conference:
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