Dairy Cow Metabolic Indicators Project (Indikuh)

Dairy farming is a central part of German agriculture. There are currently more than 4.2 million dairy cows, of which 870,000 are kept in Lower Saxony. Needs-based feeding is crucial for high milk yields without overstressing the animals.

Feed management research project
A research team is investigating how metabolic indicators such as milk yield and rumination can be used to assess animal health and metabolic status. The aim is to develop reliable parameters for optimised feeding and improved animal welfare assessment.

Practical studies
The study will be carried out on ten practical farms in Lower Saxony and at the experimental farm of the Friedrich Loeffler Institute. The University of Göttingen, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture and other research partners are involved.

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture as part of the programme "Animal Welfare and Animal Welfare Indicators".

Project coordination: Prof Dr Jürgen Hummel
Scientific contact Dipl. agr. Marleen Zschiesche