RIABNM - Division of Animal Breeding - Research Group for Ecology, Livestock housing and Gene Conservation

Until the 1990s the effects of environmental factors on domestic animals have been researched at the NARIC RIABN’s predecessor, in the breeding and animal management departments of the Research Institute for Animal Breeding and Nutrition. Main topics at that time were animal hygiene (mainly thermoregulation of domestic animals and microclimate of animal houses), animal management and ethology.

Interdisciplinary researches on the environmental impact of animal pruduction has been conducted since 1992. The researches started at Department for Cattle Breeding (in cooperation with the ETH Zurich and the FAC Liebefeld-Bern) and at some research groups of the Department for Animal Nutrition. An independent Research Group for Ecology was established in 2006.

Present research activity of group

• Quantification of the environmental loading from animal production (mainly air pollution, ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions) and the analysis of reduction possibilities
• Examination of environment- and animal-friendly technologies in livestock management
• Investigation of the effect of by-products from animal production (mainly manures) onto the soil, plant, and the production cycle