Milk production

More than a half of the organically managed land is grassland, and only herbivores like cattle, sheep or goats are able to transform the growth into food. In addition, the market of organically produced milk and milk products increases continuously for years. Thus, dairy farming is the most important branch of organic animal husbandry. Consumers associate organic dairy farming primarily with a welfare oriented animal husbandry and a limited use of veterinary drugs. Therefore, we focus on animal health management, animal welfare and product quality of a sustainable organic dairy farming.

Ongoing projects

Less antibiotics - higher mastitis risk?

Every use of antibiotics bears the risk for development of antibiotic resistances and to promote resistant bacteria. Thus, the use of such substances has to be questioned. In dairy farming antibiotic dry cow treatment is an important tool to reduce mastitis on herd level. Usually, if an indication exists, all quarters of an udder will be treated with antibiotics disregarding the infection status of the individual quarter. Therefore the question arises, whether it would be possible to minimize the use of antibiotics by quarterspecific treatment without increasing the infection risk of the ...

Finished projects

Maize and beans in mixed cropping

In the future, the amount of on-farm or locally produced feedstuff should increase to ensure a sustainable protein supply for farm animals. In our project we analyze the potential of the mixed cropping of maize with runner or scarlet runner beans.

Grassland and phosphorous flows - mobilisation by growth

Phosphorous is a finite resource. Soil reserves must be used more efficient. Due to its high biological activity grassland is particularly important for the phosphorous cycle of farms.

More time with the mother - better for the calf?

Today, immediate separation of cow and calf after parturition is common in dairy farming. However, an alternative is the dam rearing system: Dam or foster cows suckle the calves and are additionally milked. We are investigating possible long-term effects on dairy heifers reared in that system.

Establishment of web-based decision trees for parasite prophylaxis through future-oriented pasture management in agricultural practice and consultancy

Pasture husbandry is considered to be particularly animal appropriate and is, according to polls, desired by consumers. However younger animals in particular are often afflicted with infections by gastrointestinal parasites while at pasture. Previously developed decision trees available online could be an aid in future-oriented pasture planning. How do farms perceive the work with this online tool? Can it provide support in pasture management to individual farms? Does it reduce the stress on the animals or does the use of the decision tree lead to less use of anthelmintics? These questions are ...

Udder health and milk quality

Dairy goats can have mastitis like cows, mostly sub-clinical. In comparison with cows, there were no clear definition and indicators to measure udder health and "good" milk qualities.

Less antibiotics - higher mastitis risk?

Climate change impacts and sustainability of farming systems

Agricultural activities of farms and the activities’ contributions to climate change are highly complex. Organic and conventional farms are different in methods, input and yield level. It is unknown if and how environmental effects and sustainability of farms differ systematically with respect to farming system and region. Climate [change] impacts of agricultural production in 80 organic and conventional dairy farms and cash crop farms in Germany are analyzed and modelled.

Better milk quality with less concentrate feeding

Objective of the project is an application of a pasture-based feeding system to increase the contents of essential fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), vitamin E, xanthophylls and antioxidants in goat's milk and cheese.

How much greenhouse gases do grass-clover crop sequences emit?

Organic farming integrates clover and grass mixtures into crop sequences to increase soil fertility. The symbiotic N fixation provides N fertilisation to subsequent crops.

Development of an animal-friendly feeding system for horned goats

Dairy goat farming is a growing business in Germany since more then one decade. In the same manner, there is a growing demand on extension for dairy goat farms regarding husbandry and management. Although there is some knowledge present, there is a lack of transer into practical dairy goat farming. That is the starting point for our new initiative Stable Schools for dairy farmers.

More than a niche? The potential of dam rearing for marketing of milk and male calves

Some consumers ask for milk that is produced without separating cow and calf shortly after birth. We ask if dairy farmers will get more chances to market their products by dam rearing their calves.

MinimA

Maintaining the therapeutic efficiency of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine requires their strictly demand-oriented use. In our project, we apply this principle to the dry off treatment of dairy cows on farms.