On March 23, 2024, the Universalmuseum Joanneum opened the exhibition "Man, World and Thing – A Region Tells Its Story" at Trautenfels Castle. The special exhibition facilitates a dialogue on regionally specific themes that...
Indicator plants for soil water balance in cultivated grassland as important bioindicators for the rapid assessment of soil water balance. Our contribution for World Water Day on March 22, 2024 - Andreas Bohner, Head of Department...
Shepherds in alpine farming have diverse tasks to manage and require comprehensive knowledge for practical application. In a 4-day practical course, participants learn the basics of managed grazing...
Our skiers were once again very successful at the regional ski championships. Last Friday, the regional ski championships of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and... took place in wonderful weather.
Research projects involving farm animals, such as those conducted at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, fall under the Austrian Animal Experimentation Act in some cases, for example, when blood samples are taken for experimental purposes. The necessary expertise...
In 2018, the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein initiated the process of having "Traditional Hay Milk Farming in the Alpine Arc" included in the FAO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The application process was intensive, although all...
Women as researchers and knowledge disseminators, strong-willed, determined students at the Higher Federal Teaching and Research Institute for Agriculture Raumberg-Gumpenstein. For more than 75 years, the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein...
Organic Livestock Farming Day 2024 - for organic farmers and all those who want to become one: "The Organic Livestock Farming Day offers us the opportunity to discuss our research results directly with farmers and...".
Under the motto "Shaping the Future - Agricultural Education and Research at the Cutting Edge," our Federal Minister Norbert Totschnig visited us on March 4, 2024. At the Higher Federal Teaching and Research Unit Raumberg-Gumpenstein, over 80...
As part of our ongoing cooperation with the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture (LfL), which has been running for several years, colleagues visited our site at the Institute of Organic Agriculture in Lambach/Stadl-Paura. During our joint trials on lentil cultivation, suitable...
On March 8, 2024, the Electric Fence Action Day will take place at the LFS Kobenz together with the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein.
Research and teaching at the cutting edge – the 2023 annual report and the accompanying brochure on publications and implementation activities in 2023 provide an impressive overview of the activities of HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. In...
The profession of food manager often forms the link between agriculture and consumers. Therefore, it is crucial to possess sound knowledge of agricultural production processes. The degree program...
As part of the 2024 Winter Conference, themed "We live innovation as tradition," the Grassland and Livestock Farming Day was held in Raumberg-Gumpenstein on February 1, 2024. We thank everyone for the excellent turnout and the successful event...
On January 26, 2024, the first Pasture GPS Workshop took place at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, where Reinhard Huber welcomed 26 participants. In addition to the herdsmen and alpine pasture managers, almost all the well-known companies involved with...
Last year, exciting exchange visits took place between Argentinian and Austrian family farms, highlighting the challenges facing livestock farmers.
On January 20, 2024, the annual ski race between our department and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BML), a tradition spanning more than 20 years, took place on the Planneralm. The weather was picture-perfect, but the temperatures were very wintry (-18°C at the summit in the morning)...
The use of fully slatted floors in pig farming is currently a major focus of public attention. This is due to the Constitutional Court's ruling of January 8, 2024, which shortened the transition period before the ban on...
On January 13, 2024, the examination for the third diploma course in functional hoof care for instructors took place. In addition to a written test, the graduates also had to complete a practical component.
The IBeSt+ project is a legally mandated research project that was launched in November 2023. It is being implemented as an extension of the IBeSt project, which has been running since the end of 2021. In the...
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 organic farming, their nitrogen fixation and soil-improving effects are particularly important...
Animal welfare and the labeling of agricultural products are gaining increasing societal relevance. The FarmLife Welfare Index, developed at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, assesses the animal welfare potential on dairy farms...
In August 2025, the current calculation of the Ecological Breeding Information (ÖZW) for potential breeding bulls of the Fleckvieh and Brown Swiss breeds was carried out.
Professional hoof care makes a significant contribution to animal health and welfare. A sound education is the foundation for working as a hoof trimmer. This training took place at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein...
The project "Didactic Evaluation and Dissemination of the FarmLife Educational Concept" (FarmLife Education II) was successfully completed in December 2023. The primary goal of the research is the didactic...
The HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein was commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management (BML) to collect current data on animal husbandry practices. The purpose of this survey is to gather representative...
Barn Construction Brochure for Organic Sheep Farming Published in 3rd Edition The barn construction brochure "LTS 234: Barn Construction for Organic Animal Husbandry: SHEEP" has been published in its third edition. It provides a comprehensive information base for...
On November 21st, Styriabrid officials took part in a field trip to Raumberg-Gumpenstein. The 14 participants were first given a presentation by Birgit Heidinger about the renovation work being carried out at the Raumberg-Gumpenstein pig research facility as part of the IBeSt project...
On Monday, November 13, 2023, the highlight of this year's two-year "Added Value in Mountain Agriculture" project took place with the presentation of the farm results and the awarding of the FarmLife farm plaque. 22 of the 29 participating farms...
This year's annual meeting of the "Greenhouse Gas-Efficient Organic Milk Production" project took place on November 9th and 10th in Raumberg-Gumpenstein. Representatives from across the entire value chain participated in the project meeting.
Climate Change and Land Use - Resilience & Adaptation On October 24th/25th, 2023, DI Renate Mayer organized a Science Day for the 3rd grade classes of the Irdning secondary school on the topic of climate change and land use, assessment and...
Awards Ceremony of the Chamber of Agricultural Workers in Raumberg On November 4, 2023, the awards ceremony of the Styrian Chamber of Agricultural Workers took place in the festively decorated Grimming Hall of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. This ceremony, held every five years, is a prerequisite for...
As part of an excursion, students from Kalø Organic Farming College in Denmark visited, among other places, the organic institute at the Trautenfels site.
Here you will find all events, conferences, and seminars from the past and upcoming months at HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. Clicking the link will take you to further information or the registration form. We look forward to seeing you there!.
Both climate change and the increasing demand for animal-based foods pose significant challenges for society and agriculture. Food and feed production is also affected on a global scale...
More milk with paddock or short-grass pasture? Each grazing system has its specific advantages and disadvantages. Paddock pastures are less susceptible to drought (due to ground shading) than short-grass pastures. Fertilization and pasture management can also vary...
The Biology Institute of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein serves as a network hub for research, teaching, consulting, and practical application. Thus, on September 28, 2023, the meeting of the Austrian... took place once again in the Biology Institute building at Moarhof.
As part of the Austria-wide seminar "Assessing and Improving Cow Comfort," which took place at the LFS Pyhra on September 20, 2023, the FarmLife Welfare tool, developed at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, was presented. Following a...
The 1st Ennstal Horse Forum on Friday, October 13, 2023, represents a new addition to the event program of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. This afternoon will feature practical demonstrations and expert presentations, creating a unified space for...
On Friday, September 29, 2023, we had the honor of welcoming representatives from the European Commission,direktion -General for Agriculture, and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management to our premises...
Project "MeadowTypes" - Satellite-based classification of meadow types successfully completed. Together with Joanneum Research, the digitization project MeadowTypes was successfully completed at the Institute for Plant Production and Cultural Landscape...
The KLILASZ project, which began in 2021, is led by the Austrian Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) and involves the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein and the Institute for Sustainable Economic Development (INWE) at BOKU...
Results from the Gumpenstein experimental facility published in "Nature Communications": The globally unique ClimGrass facility at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein in Irdning simulates the expected climate changes of the future and their...
On September 20th and 21st, 2023, the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein held a peatland excursion in Upper Styria. The following peatlands were visited: Obersdorfer Moor, Ödensee Moor, Pürgschachen Moor, Wörschacher Moos, and various bogs and floating mats of vegetation...
The Association of Plant Breeders and Seed Merchants of Austria, in cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, invites you to the 76th Plant Breeders' Conference from November 24th to 26th, 2025 at...
The Association of Plant Breeders and Seed Merchants of Austria, in cooperation with the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) and the Higher Federal Institute for Agricultural Engineering and HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, invites you to the 75th Plant Breeders' Conference, taking place from November 25th to 27th, 2024 at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein. The...
Making a virtue of necessity – participation in the Swiss conference was not possible, so this short film was created for the conference attendees and for us: “Looking at the cow’s mouth!” The speaker gallops quickly….
The first workshop on GPS-tagged livestock will focus on practical application and convey the state of the art to practitioners. Date postponed to January 26, 2024. Program
Among terrestrial ecosystems, intact peatlands and peat soils are by far the best carbon sinks. Peatlands and fen meadows are also valuable from a cultural-historical and nature conservation perspective. They provide habitat for many...
We need reinforcements - the following jobs are currently advertised. A valid work permit in the EEA is a prerequisite for all advertised positions. Employee at the Moarhof Bio-Institute in Trautenfels...
Climate Change Adaptation – Focus: Climate change is impacting agriculture! According to climate forecasts, temperatures will continue to rise, and rainfall will become less frequent and less evenly distributed. Adaptations to this...
The EU project CONSOLE, launched in 2019, aims to develop contractual solutions for the effective and sustainable provision of public goods in the areas of environmental protection and climate change by the agricultural and...
The first part of the project "Greenhouse Gas-Efficient Organic Milk Production" – developing greenhouse gas reduction options for organic dairy farms – has been successfully completed, and we are now entering the second phase. Launched in...
This year, we were able to complete our practical training at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein research institute, specifically at the Institute for Animal Husbandry, Technology and Environment. Our primary focus was on the Animal Husbandry Systems, Technology & Emissions department, and...
Innovative training for shepherds and sustainable grazing management – tools for sustainable rural management based on best-practice examples in selected EU countries. From 2019-2023, [the following organization] is participating...
As part of the Raumberg-Gumpenstein research workshop, we were visited on July 21, 2023, by young researchers aged 10-12, who explored the topic of "Energy in Agriculture." They presented exciting experiments from their research projects on various topics...
The peatland conference took place as a webinar at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein on June 27th and 28th, 2023. The primary goal of this conference was to facilitate the exchange of experiences between agriculture and nature conservation. The event, attended by approximately...
The world is becoming increasingly digital, and our farms can also benefit from this.
Optimal rearing is the prerequisite for healthy, high-performing and long-lived cattle.
On June 23, 2023, a former employee (Theresia Rieder) and two former employees (Ing. Reinhard Wolf and Ing. Anton Schauer) at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Regions and Water Management,...
How to manage the pasture on an organic farm when drought pushes the grassland to its limits?
The Middle Styrian Enns Valley has been shaped by landscape changes and economic transformations for millennia.
The Austrian Association for Agricultural Engineering and Rural Development (ÖKL) has published a new edition of its brochure "Rare Livestock Breeds." This fifth edition has been completely updated and expanded (ÖKL publication series LTS 231). It contains 42...
The annual field day took place on June 20, 2023, at the Bio-Institute site in Lambach/Stadl-Paura. Interested visitors learned about the currently ongoing trials and were also informed about the results of the past trials...
On June 7, 2023, Dr. Birgit Heidinger was appointed by Federal Minister Totschnig as head of the Institute “Animal, Technology and Environment” at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein.
Knowledge transfer between research and schools plays a crucial role in making the latest findings and solutions in various fields accessible to students. Therefore, networking between research and teaching has become increasingly important at...
The aim of the EU project "Framework" is to promote and develop biodiversity-sensitive farming practices. This process is intended to begin at the farm level. Additionally, the contributions of female farmers...
Franz Waldenberger visited the organic farming site Lambach/Stadl-Paura and learned about the research in the field of edible legumes.
Feed additives are seen as a promising way to reduce methane emissions from cattle feed. Does biochar also have the potential to reduce methane emissions? Current trial results provide the answer.
Meat has a tough time. The media constantly confronts us with the claim that meat is unhealthy and that meat production damages our climate. The issue of animal welfare has also entered the mainstream, and here it is often...
