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Animal Nutrition

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In this research field, FiBL focuses on fostering sustainable grassland utilization with ruminants. Such systems should and indeed can meet the full range of demands: ecological aspects, the animals’ physiological and ethological needs, and the demands of food security and food safety. Key issues with a view to meeting these demands include the development of indicators (feeding and ruminating behaviour, digestion parameters, production quality) for the management of grassland-based feeding systems.

A second key issue concerning ruminants and even more so pigs and poultry is the reduction in imported protein concentrate feeds. Here the focus is primarily on developing alternatives to soya based on domestically produced, sustainable sources of protein. Other research is concerned with the efficiency of protein conversion in animal digestion as well as issues concerning defined objectives such as desirable carcass qualities.

Contact

Florian Leiber

Projects

StatusFiBLTitleStartEnd
ongoing CH Duckweed - Circular Economy Potentials (Wasserlinsen Circular Economy) 02.01.2024 31.12.2026
ongoing CH Organic pork production in the PUFA context 11.12.2023 31.03.2025
ongoing CH EU Organic Farming Regulation vs. Bio Suisse legislations 01.11.2023 31.12.2025
ongoing CH Agrivoltaic (Agri-PV) 02.10.2023 31.12.2025
ongoing CH Conditioning of cattle on the farm for stress reduction from birth to slaughter (Konditionierung Schlachthof) 01.04.2023 01.04.2025
ongoing CH Low stress slaughter – influence of on farm killing on behaviour, stress physiology and meat quality of cattle 01.10.2022 31.12.2024
ongoing CH Facilitating Innovations for Resilient Livestock Farming Systems (Re-Livestock) 01.08.2022 31.07.2027
ongoing CH Agriculture - Climate Protection and Climate Adaptation with Biochar (Charclim) 01.06.2022 31.12.2026
ongoing CH Potential for methane production of pastures with differing plant communities (Methan Weidelabor) 01.03.2022 31.12.2024
completed CH Pigs going veggie – Feeding vegetable waste to pigs (Gemüseschwein) 01.03.2022 01.04.2023
ongoing CH Consulting for implementing the project "Bioschwein 100.0" 01.03.2022 30.04.2024
ongoing CH Investigation of the methanogenic potential of different Swiss alpine meadows (Methan Sömmerungsweiden) 01.01.2022 31.12.2025
completed CH Roughage in chicken farming - effects on protein utilization/-efficiency in hybrids and dual-purpose breeds 01.09.2021 31.10.2023
completed CH Resilience of Swiss organic aquaculture against climate change 01.07.2021 01.07.2022
ongoing CH Climate-neutral agriculture in Graubünden 01.01.2021 31.12.2024
ongoing CH New agricultural nutrient flows using water lentils 01.01.2021 31.01.2025
completed CH WelFeed – Increasing welfare in feeding and feed intake of pigs (WelFeed) 01.01.2021 30.06.2023
ongoing CH Increasing longevity of Swiss dairy cows: factors, future scenarios and strategy development 01.04.2020 31.03.2025
completed CH Wiesenschwein, das Zukunftsschwein 01.11.2019 01.03.2022
completed CH Duckweeds in Vietnam 01.01.2019 31.12.2019
completed CH Developing SUstainable PERmanent Grassland systems and policies (SUPER-G) 01.06.2018 29.02.2024
completed CH Replacement of Contentious Inputs in organic farming Systems (RELACS) 01.05.2018 30.04.2022
completed CH ProYoungStock- Promoting young stock and cow health and welfare by natural feeding systems (ProYoungStock) 01.04.2018 30.09.2021
completed CH Organic Knowledge Network on Monogastric Animal Feed (OK-Net EcoFeed) 01.01.2018 31.03.2021
completed CH Update of the Greenpeace study (UpdateGreenpeace) 01.01.2018 30.06.2018
completed CH Nachhaltig produzierte Wasserlinsen als mögliche neue Proteinquelle für die Schweizer Tierernährung am Beispiel der Aquakultur 01.12.2017 31.01.2021
completed CH Efficiency and sustainability of producing and feeding insect-based feedstuff to fish and poultry 01.08.2017 01.03.2020
completed CH GenTORE - Genomic management tools to optimize resilience and efficiency (GenTORE) 01.08.2017 31.07.2022
completed CH Wissensaufbau und -vermittlung im Bereich Mutter- und Ammengebundene Kälberaufzucht 01.04.2017 31.12.2019
completed CH Feeding of organic pigs in consideration of fat quality requirements and 100 % organic feeding (Bioschwein100.0) 01.03.2017 31.10.2020
ongoing CH Ausnahmebewilligungen für durch den Tierarzt verordnete Futtermittel (Vetpermis) 01.01.2017
completed CH Development of a forb-rich functional feed pellet to improve protein conversion of cows in roughage-based farm systems 01.01.2016 31.12.2019
completed CH Enhancing Food Security and Agricultural Sustainability by Integrating Production Systems: Promotion of Low Input Dairy Management at Mirim Farm in DPR of Korea 01.11.2015 31.10.2016
completed CH Roughage-based feeding strategies and nutrient efficiency of Swiss organic dairy farms 01.01.2015 31.12.2017
ongoing CH Lectures biodynamic school Rheinau 01.01.2015
completed CH Insect-based feed and fertilizer production via waste transformation for small-holders in Ghana (IBFFP) 01.01.2014 31.12.2017
completed CH Sainfoin – a valuable forage plant for the Swiss agricultural environment 01.01.2014 31.12.2017
completed CH Assessment of Sustainable Provision of Goods and Services from Grassland-based Systems 01.06.2013 31.05.2014
completed CH Grassland-based milk production: development of assessment instruments and management options for dairy cattle nutrition with reduced concentrate inputs (Grasmilch) 01.06.2013 31.10.2015
completed CH Erforschung von Merkmalen der effizienten Raufutterkuh mit Hilfe von Fress- und Wiederkäusensoren (Rumiwatch) 01.04.2013 31.10.2015
completed CH Expansion of the Sustainability and Organic Livestock Model 01.06.2012 30.06.2013
completed CH Effects of husbandry conditions on animal health in aquaculture. Comparative investigations on different husbandry regimes using the example of trout production in Switzerland 01.01.2012 31.01.2015
completed CH BIOSUISSE extension in animal feeding (BIOSUISSE Fütterungsberatung) 01.01.2012
completed CH Investigations on plant-derived therapies of fish diseases 01.11.2011 30.11.2014
completed CH Organic pasture beef: Sustainability assessment of different cattle beef production systems in Switzerland (Bio Weidebeef) 01.10.2011 31.12.2014
completed CH Improved contribution of local feed to support 100% organic feed supply to pigs and poultry (ICOPP) 01.09.2011 31.12.2014
completed CH “Swiss Made” protein: Protein feeds made from indigenous resources for organic poultry and pigs 01.09.2011 31.12.2014
completed CH Development of technologies to produce feed proteins on the basis of waste materials from agriculture and the food processing industry (Hermetia) 01.04.2010 31.03.2013
completed CH Feed no Food - influence of minimized concentrate feeding on animal health and performance of Swiss organic dairy cows (Feed no Food) 01.10.2009 01.10.2010
completed CH QualityLowInputFood: Improving quality and safety and reduction of cost in the European organic and 'low input' supply chains (QLIF) 01.03.2004 31.05.2009
ongoing CH List of inputs allowed in Swiss organic agriculture 01.01.1992

Team

Group Animal Nutrition
Baki Cem
Calf rearing, sensor halters
+41(0)62 865-0483
Dittmann Marie
Ruminant nutrition, horses, pasture management
+41 (0)62 865-6395
Leiber Florian
Member of the Management BoardCo-head of the Department of Livestock SciencesCo-leader of the Group Animal Nutritioncoordination trial farms
+41 (0)62 865-7217
Lozano-Jaramillo María
Animal breeding and genetics, livestock modelling, agroecology
+41 (0)62 865-7242
Meili Eric
Animal husbandary, extensions in market development, farm development
+41 (0)79 236-4718
Mesbahi Geoffrey
Grassland, forage production, ruminant nutrition
+41 (0)62 865-0492
Roth Christoph
Poultry and pigs (animal nutrition), microbiome
+41 (0)62 865-0447
Sandrock Christoph
Entomology: Hermetia illucens (coordination research facility) and bees
+41 (0)62 865-0419
Stadtlander Timo
Co-leader of the Group Animal Nutritioncoordination fish laboratory, aquaculture
+41 (0)62 865-0439
Steiner Andrea
Laboratory of livestock sciences, lead of roughage analytics, parasitological diagnostics
+41 (0)62 865-0461
Steiner Franz Josef
Livestock breeding, beef production, pasture management
+41 (0)79 824-4445
Tonn Bettina
Grassland, pasture management, forage production
+41 (0)62 865-6376
Vitra Amarante
Grassland, pasture management, forage production
+41 (0)62 865-0452
Werner Jessica
Ruminant nutrition, pasture management, grassland
+41 (0)62 510-5324
Wohlfahrt Jens
Technical assistance, Hermetia illucens, bees
+41 (0)62 865-0438