Project 12

Pasture land systems are characterised by a high level of complexity. To analyze the impact of climate change, the interactions between soil, plants and animals have to be considered.

For this reason, SP 12 develops a web-based information pool to give users the opportunity for generating adaption options for their pasture land systems. Therefore scientific aspects and results from on-farm-analyses are brought together.

The methods include interpretations of population data of mother cows and wide data collections. Therefore the grassland is rated quantitatively and qualitatively. The impact of local condition on the performance of the animals will be analysed by interpreting the development of live weight and the adequate supply with mineral nutrients and micronutrients.

Additionally, we use a wide range of ethologic analyses to study the impact of weather conditions on the behaviour of the animals. Therefore GPS collars and step counters are used to document activity and pattern of movement on the pasture.