Triple success: FBN with strong participation in MV Excellence Initiative

‘This funding is a great gain for the FBN and shows the importance of our research for sustainable livestock farming. Through interdisciplinary cooperation and the use of state-of-the-art technologies, we are making an important contribution to the development of animal-friendly solutions with high practical relevance, true to our motto: ‘Research for better livestock farming’,’ explains Prof Dr Klaus Wimmers, director of the FBN.

The three projects at a glance

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) plays a key role in two of the three funded excellence projects. Scientists from the FBN, together with Rostock University Medical Centre, the Universities of Rostock and Greifswald, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) for Animal Health, Fraunhofer IGD, the Helmholtz Institute for One Health and the Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences are researching the use of artificial intelligence for the automated recording of the well-being of cattle and swine in the joint project AI Animal Welfare (KI Tierwohl). A particular focus is on the analysis of behaviour and vocalisations in order to develop objective indicators of animal welfare. ‘Our team combines innovative behavioural monitoring with AI technologies developed by our partners to enable practical solutions for sustainable animal husbandry,’ explains Prof Birger Puppe, head of the Behaviour and Animal Welfare working group.

In the AutoPasture project, the FBN is contributing its expertise in behavioural research and digital animal monitoring. The aim is to make pasture management more efficient and animal-friendly through AI-supported behavioural analyses and virtual fencing, among other things. The FBN is researching stress reactions in cattle with the help of artificial intelligence in order to detect behavioural anomalies at an early stage. It is also testing how the grazing of certain areas can be controlled in a targeted manner without erecting physical fences. This should optimise grazing and minimise the amount of work involved in grazing. In addition, drones and autonomous agricultural vehicles (AGVs) are being trialled in cooperation with the project partners in order to further automate pasture management. The project partners are Stralsund University of Applied Sciences, Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences, the University of Rostock, Forschungsverbund gGmbH i.G., Fraunhofer IGD, IGP and FBN. ‘Our focus is on the automatic recording and analysis of the spatiotemporal behaviour of cattle under different environmental conditions. By using modern AI methods, we can detect stress reactions earlier and thus sustainably improve animal welfare,’ explains Dr Jan Langbein from the “Behaviour and Animal Welfare” working group

The Alg4Nut project is researching the use of algae as an innovative feedstuff for ruminants. As a sustainable, regionally available feed source, algae offer great potential for increasing feed efficiency and reducing methane and nitrogen emissions.

‘We will investigate the influence of algae feeding on feeding behaviour, digestibility, metabolism, animal health and, above all, methane and nitrogen emissions in dairy cows,’ explains Dr Björn Kuhla, head of the “Biochemistry of Nutrition” working group. ‘We also take rumen fluid samples, which are analysed together with our partners from the University of Rostock and the University of Greifswald with regard to microbial degradation mechanisms. The influence on rumen health is being analysed in close cooperation with Rostock University Medicine,’ continues Kuhla. The animal-experimental work is being carried out at the FBN in collaboration with the working group of Prof Lisa Bachmann (Neubrandenburg University of Applied Sciences).

Innovative research for a sustainable future

With its strong presence in three of the five funded excellence projects, the FBN is emphasising its leading role in agricultural research. The approved funding enables pioneering technologies for sustainable, animal-friendly and efficient agriculture. The close co-operation between science and practice creates solutions that have significance far beyond Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and strengthen the research location.

Image 1: The FBN scientists with the grant award certificates (from left to right: Dr Björn Kuhla, Dr Sandra Düpjan, Prof Birger Puppe and Dr Jan Langbein) © Ostermayer/FBN 

About the FBN:

The Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), based in Dummerstorf near Rostock in the federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (formerly the Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals), was founded in 1993 and is dedicated to application-oriented basic research in the field of farm animal biology. Around 300 employees carry out interdisciplinary research and work in the four focus areas: Individualising farm animal husbandry, farming animals in sustainable resource cycles, coping with critical life phases of farm animals and promoting diversity in animal farming. The aim is to research responsible animal farming as an indispensable component of sustainable agriculture. The animal is the focus of scientific research, from the genome to metabolism and behaviour.

Research Institute of Farm Animal Biology (FBN)

Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf
Director Prof Dr Klaus Wimmers
T +49 38208-68 600
E wimmers{at}fbn-dummerstorf.de

Press and public relations

Jan Ostermayer
T +49 38208-68 605
E presse@fbn-dummerstorf.de
www.fbn-dummerstorf.de
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