Animal nutrition

What FiBL is doing on this theme
- Group Animal nutrition, Department of Livestock Sciences, FiBL Switzerland
News on the theme
- 04/18/2025 : Fodder trees: a supplementary forage resource for livestock
- 08/22/2024 : Duckweed – unknown but full of possibilities? New factsheet for interested parties
- 08/02/2021 : Feeding: Secondary compounds of prime importance
- 07/28/2021 : Soybean processing systems factsheet published
- 06/30/2020 : Video: Feeding insects for organic layers
- 05/05/2020 : Video: Increasing domestic protein supply with intercropping
- 04/28/2020 : Organic Farm Knowledge - A unique resource with tools for farmers across Europe
- 04/14/2020 : New video: Toasting soybeans for feeding laying hens
- 03/14/2019 : New publication on organic animal farming with FiBL input
- 08/09/2018 : ProYoungStock – new research project on sustainable calf rearing
- 12/16/2015 : New study confirms: Global animal production becoming more sustainable by using less concentrate feed
- 05/05/2015 : FiBL report shows organic protein availability and demand
- 09/24/2012 : FiBL contributes to success of Second International Organic Animal Husbandry Conference
- 04/25/2012 : Less concentrate feeding can be done!
Relevant publications for practitioners
Themes/ key words

Publication Language

Year Of Publication

Projects on the theme

Project status

Location/ Department/ Research areas

Themes/ key words

Status	FiBL	Title	Start	End
ongoing	CH FR	Upscaling efficient alternatives for contentious inputs in organic farming (SCALE-it)	01.05.2025	30.04.2029
ongoing	CH	Duckweed - Circular Economy Potentials (Wasserlinsen Circular Economy)	02.01.2024	31.12.2026
ongoing	CH FR	Lambs from dairy sheep	01.01.2024	31.12.2026
ongoing	DE	Fortschritt mit Kompetenz und Spezialwissen für eine tierwohlgerechte, umweltschonende und nachhaltige Nutztierhaltung (Netzwerk Fokus Tierwohl)	01.01.2024	31.12.2026
ongoing	CH	Evaluation of premixes	01.01.2024
completed	CH	Organic pork production in the PUFA context	11.12.2023	31.03.2025
completed	DE	Wirtschaftlichkeitsanalyse der Pelletierung von Kleegras- und Grünlandschnitt in der Ökomodellregion Rhein-Main	01.08.2023	31.05.2024
ongoing	DE	Circular feeding strategies in organic poultry production (GreenChicken)	01.06.2023	31.05.2027
completed	CH	Milkproduction without food-feed-competition in Germany (GreenpeaceDE-Milch)	01.05.2023	30.10.2023
ongoing	CH	Capitalization of Agroecological Research Evidence from the r4d programme in West Africa (CARE R4D)	01.04.2023	30.03.2026
completed	AT	Carbon footprint of soybean meal from the ATK company	01.09.2022	01.11.2022
ongoing	CH	Facilitating Innovations for Resilient Livestock Farming Systems (Re-Livestock)	01.08.2022	31.07.2027
completed	CH	Pigs going veggie – Feeding vegetable waste to pigs (Gemüseschwein)	01.03.2022	01.04.2023
completed	CH	Consulting for implementing the project "Bioschwein 100.0"	01.03.2022	30.04.2024
completed	CH	Potential for methane production of pastures with differing plant communities (Methan Weidelabor)	01.03.2022	31.12.2024
completed	AT	Kultivierung alternativer Eiweißquellen in rauen Lagen Österreichs am Beispiel Mühlviertel	01.02.2022	31.01.2025
ongoing	CH	Investigation of the methanogenic potential of different Swiss alpine meadows (Methan Sömmerungsweiden)	01.01.2022	31.12.2025
ongoing	CH	Farmtrail (Landwirtschaftsweg und Klimapfad Lindau)	01.01.2022
completed	AT	CO2 Bilanz von Mastschweinen der Marke Berger REGIONAL OPTIMAL verglichen mit einem Szenario mit einer Fütterung von Sojafuttermitteln aus Übersee	01.12.2021	30.04.2022
completed	DE	Sustainable and resilient cultivation of insects for an innovative use in feed and food production (reKultI4Food)	01.11.2021	30.04.2025
ongoing	CH	Pathways for transitions to sustainability in livestock husbandry and food systems (PATHWAYS)	01.09.2021	31.08.2026
completed	CH	Roughage in chicken farming - effects on protein utilization/-efficiency in hybrids and dual-purpose breeds	01.09.2021	31.10.2023
completed	AT	Wirkungsanalyse des Dünger- und Futtermittelsystems der BIO AUSTRIA Betriebe - Eine Analyse ökologischer Nachhaltigkeitsleistungen der BIO AUSTRIA Betriebe im Vergleich zur konventionellen Landwirtschaft in Österreich	05.03.2021	10.11.2021
completed	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
completed	CH	Multi-actor and transdisciplinary development of efficient and resilient MIXED farming and agroforestry-systems (MIXED)	01.10.2020	31.03.2025
completed	CH	Increasing longevity of Swiss dairy cows: factors, future scenarios and strategy development	01.04.2020	31.03.2025
completed	DE	Organic turkey production: Requirement adjusted amino acid and vitamin supply under consideration of genotype, feeding strategy and husbandry conditions	03.03.2020	30.06.2024
completed	AT	Bewertung von THG-Ersparnissen durch den Einsatz von Donau Soja statt importierter Übersee-Soja auf Ebene ausgewählter tierischer Lebensmittelprodukte	01.03.2020	31.12.2021
completed	CH	Maize intercropping for silage (Maïs associé pour ensilage)	01.01.2020	31.12.2023
completed	CH	Wiesenschwein, das Zukunftsschwein	01.11.2019	01.03.2022
completed	CH EU	Engagement of the organic value chain to support Organic Breeding in Europe (ENGAGEMENT.BIOBREEDING EUROPE)	01.09.2019	31.08.2022
completed	DE	Development of a certification program for inputs for organic farming (BM_Zert)	01.09.2019	30.06.2023
ongoing	CH	Reduction of protein concentrates on intensive organic dairy farms (REiM-Projekt)	01.01.2019
completed	CH	Duckweeds in Vietnam	01.01.2019	31.12.2019
completed	CH	Wildvogelfutter in Knospe-Qualität	01.01.2019	31.12.2019
completed	CH	Legumes Translated (Translating knowledge for legume-based farming for feed and food systems) (Legumes Translated)	01.11.2018	30.04.2022
completed	AT	Hintergrundstudie für den WWF Fleischratgeber Bewertung von verschiedenen österreichischen Fleischsorten in Hinblick auf a) ausgewählte ökologische Indikatoren und b) das Tierwohl	07.08.2018	05.10.2018
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	Nachhaltig produzierte Wasserlinsen als mögliche neue Proteinquelle für die Schweizer Tierernährung am Beispiel der Aquakultur	01.12.2017	31.01.2021
completed	CH	Coop Organic Facts	01.11.2017	30.05.2018
ongoing	CH	Our pig (Development of an alternative pig breed)	01.09.2017	31.12.2030
completed	AT DE	Sustainable pig production systems (SusPigSys)	01.09.2017	30.11.2020
completed	CH	GenTORE - Genomic management tools to optimize resilience and efficiency (GenTORE)	01.08.2017	31.07.2022
completed	CH	Efficiency and sustainability of producing and feeding insect-based feedstuff to fish and poultry	01.08.2017	01.03.2020
completed	CH	Bio-Kälbermast an Müttern und Ammen	01.08.2017	31.12.2019
completed	CH	Calf feeding with minimized concentrates	01.07.2017	31.12.2024
completed	AT	Participation project and transfer of knowledge to extended suckling period on organic piglet farms (Verlängerte Säugezeit)	01.06.2017	31.05.2020
completed	CH	To develop sustainable legume-based farming systems and agri-feed and food chains in EU (LegValue)	01.06.2017	31.05.2021
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	DE	Adequate organic feeding of poultry according to their requirements - focus: new sources of riboflavin (vitamin B2)	01.01.2017	31.03.2020
completed	FR	Phytotherapy and self-medication against gastro-intestinal nematodes in goats	01.06.2016	31.12.2017
completed	DE	Regionalisation of feedingstuff (ReFuMi)	01.05.2016	30.04.2021
completed	DE	Potenzialanalyse - Produktion von ökologischem Insekteneiweiß in einem regionalen Kreislaufmodell für Hessen	10.03.2016	30.11.2016
completed	DE	Modellhaftes Demonstrationsnetzwerk zur Ausweitung und Verbesserung des Anbaus und der Verwertung von Leguminosen mit Schwerpunkt Bohnen und Erbsen in Deutschland (DemoNetErBo)	15.01.2016	31.12.2021
completed	CH	Organic soya in Switzerland – Optimising the Swiss production chain from seeds to the final product (B3S)	01.01.2016	31.03.2019
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	Status quo: Dental health in Swiss dairy cows (Rinderzähne)	01.11.2015	31.12.2016
completed	CH FR	Administration of Sainfoin pellets - Effects on internal parasites and cheese quality in goats	01.07.2015	31.07.2018
completed	DE	Improving nutrition by integrating low-input livestock and crop production in sustainable farm management in DPR of Korea (LiveCrop (DPR Korea))	01.04.2015	31.12.2018
ongoing	CH	Lectures biodynamic school Rheinau	01.01.2015
completed	CH	Roughage-based feeding strategies and nutrient efficiency of Swiss organic dairy farms	01.01.2015	31.12.2017
completed	CH	The use of roughages to improve health and welfare of male pigs (CochonVert)	01.01.2015	31.12.2017
completed	CH DE	Support for organic plant breeding research (Support Pflanzenzüchtung)	01.10.2014	30.09.2019
completed	CH	Determine and optimize the carcass fat quality of organic pigs	01.06.2014	01.06.2016
completed	CH	Extensively fattening the laying hens' brothers instead of killing them as chicks	01.01.2014	31.12.2016
completed	CH	Sainfoin – a valuable forage plant for the Swiss agricultural environment	01.01.2014	31.12.2017
completed	CH	Legumes and seaweed as alternative protein sources for sheep	01.01.2014	31.12.2017
completed	CH	Europaweite landwirtschaftliche Weiterbildung für erfahrene Bioberatungspersonen (EATorganic)	01.09.2013	31.12.2015
completed	CH	Assessment of Sustainable Provision of Goods and Services from Grassland-based Systems	01.06.2013	31.05.2014
completed	CH	Grassland-based Progress: food autonomy and land development in the canton of Vaud (Progrès Herbe)	05.03.2013	31.12.2018
completed	CH	Nachhaltige Milchproduktion in der Juraregion, Minimierung von Antibiotika und Kraftfutter in der Milchviehhaltung	01.01.2013	31.12.2015
ongoing	CH	Publication d’articles dans l’AGRI (Journal agricole principal de Suisse romande)	01.01.2013
completed	CH	Expansion of the Sustainability and Organic Livestock Model	01.06.2012	30.06.2013
completed	CH	Efficient Forage Based Ruminant Systems (EFBS)	01.01.2012	31.12.2016
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	“Swiss Made” protein: Protein feeds made from indigenous resources for organic poultry and pigs	01.09.2011	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	Kontrolle von inneren Parasiten bei der Ziege durch gezielte Entwurmung und der Verfütterung von Esparsette (Onobrychis viciifolia)	01.08.2011	31.12.2012
ongoing	CH	Herbal feed supplement – Field trial	01.10.2010
ongoing	CH	Safeguarding traditional knowledge of livestock treatment with medicinal plants and natural substances	01.06.2010
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	Mineralstoffversorgung von Milchkühen im biologisch-dynamischen Landbau ohne Mineralfutterzugabe unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Phosphors	01.01.2010	31.12.2011
completed	CH	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	Body Condition Scoring (BCS) als Werkzeug der Fütterungskontrolle im Biobetrieb (BCS)	01.01.2005	31.12.2007
ongoing	CH	Subcontract Feeding	01.01.2002
ongoing	CH	Verhaltensbasierte Fütterung von Rindern (Weidelabor)

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Animal nutrition

What FiBL is doing on this theme

News on the theme

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Projects on the theme

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