Animal Production Systems and Animal Health
The Research Division develops sustainable animal-production systems which optimise roughage production, ensure the health and well-being of the animals, deliver healthy, high-quality products, and contribute to an environmentally friendly, cost-efficient agricultural sector.
For ruminants and pigs, feeding according to the requirements for maintaining the animals’ health is a prime concern. This enables optimal utilisation of nutrients, thereby reducing costs for the agricultural sector and protecting the environment. The focus is on efficient and site-appropriate use of grassland resources in the face of a changing climate, the production of high-quality roughage, and the preservation of biological and agricultural diversity.
The Research Division develops the scientific basis for improving and developing animal-friendly forms of housing, and is responsible for the testing and authorisation procedure for housing facilities for cattle, pigs, sheep and goats.
Bee research promotes best beekeeping practice. It develops the basis for bee health and beekeeping, and deals with current issues of breeding, honey production and honey quality, in order to ensure efficient pollination.
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Deputy
Research Groups
Index
Ruminant Nutrition and Emissions
The ’Ruminant Nutrition and Emissions’ Research Group is represented at the Posieux and Tänikon sites. We deal with ruminant physiology, nutrition and husbandry in roughage-focused feeding systems with the aim of sustainably improving nutrient efficiency, lowering emissions from cattle husbandry, reducing nutrient-related production diseases, and maintaining high product quality.
Pigs
The 'Pigs' Research Group specialises in pig nutrition at each physiological stage. We aim to meet societal expectations and address environmental concerns whilst providing high-quality products to Swiss consumers. Our research focuses on defining and modelling the nutrient requirements of individual pigs to feed them efficiently and minimise their environmental impact. Our expertise extends beyond nutrition to physiology, health, feed formulation, modelling and meat quality.
Grazing Systems
The ’Grazing Systems’ Research Group develops forage production and grazing techniques geared specifically to animal species, farm type and the multifunctional aims of grazing (sustainable production of biomass for animal feed, the preservation of plant and animal biodiversity, the landscape, nutrient cycles, etc.). Particular attention is paid to mountain grazing and to the adaptation of forage production to climate change.
Farm-Animal Welfare
The ‘Farm Animal Welfare’ Research Group conducts projects for assessing and refining housing systems for cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, processes applications as part of the testing and approval process for mass-produced housing facilities, and advises employees of the Cantonal Animal Protection Agencies in the implementation of animal protection legislation for ruminants and pigs.
Honey Bees
Il Centro di ricerca apistica (CRA) svolge attività di ricerca legate alla salute delle api, alle pratiche apistiche, alla selezione e alla qualità dei prodotti apistici. Il CRA si concentra sullo sviluppo di metodi efficaci di lotta e prevenzione contro le malattie nonché sul rapporto tra le api allevate e quelle selvatiche. Il compito legale di valutare il rischio dei nuovi prodotti per gli impollinatori costituisce un altro compito essenziale del CRA.
Forage Production and Grassland Systems
The «Forage Production and Grassland Systems» group works from the lowlands to the alps to promote sustainable grassland management. We build knowledge to develop grassland that provides both high-quality, on-farm meadow forage and a diverse range of ecosystem services. To this end, we conduct research into site-adapted efficient management, new artificial meadow mixtures and management of natural meadows. Information about the ecological processes at play in meadows and pastures helps us to use their resources sustainably and to make grasslands resilient to face current challenges such as climate change.
Animal GenoPhenomics
The focus of the ‘Animal GenoPhenomics’ Research Group is on developing new and characterising existing breeding traits to produce healthy, more efficient and more robust livestock. To integrate these new traits into existing breeding programmes we carry out genome analyses that enable the identification of gene loci and causal variants and provide key principles for rapid breeding success.