With this award, the DGfZ honors graduation theses that provide particularly interesting and pioneering results in the field of applied livestock science and veterinary medicine for livestock. Anton Vorndran's work makes a significant contribution to the more sustainable use of resources and shows how it can be used for livestock nutrition in the future, the jury members said. The award ceremony took place during the annual meeting of the DGfZ in Halle.
In the paper, Anton Vorndran analyzed the amount of by-products generated in agriculture and processing that are not edible for humans. These include straw and bran, for example, which are produced during cereal production and processing. He concluded that, depending on the scenario, 2.5 to 4.8 kg of non-edible biomass is produced per kg of food. Through livestock production, these byproducts can be put to efficient use without competing for food with humans.
After completing his master's degree in agricultural systems science, the determined, outstanding graduate will now pursue his doctorate at the Chair of Livestock Nutrition and Metabolism. His dissertation is dedicated to the weight development of calves in the first week of life and its key influencing factors. "I am fascinated by the development of calves. During rearing, they develop from monogastric animals into ruminants, which then make grassland usable for humans, for example," says PhD student Anton Vorndran, outlining his motivation.