Leonhard Gruber

Tell us about yourself (Who are you? Where are you from? What is your educational background?)

Univ.-Doz. Dr. Leonhard Gruber, born 1954 in Neunkirchen (Lower Austria)
Living in Austria, Province of Styria, Irdning-Donnersbachtal
Humanistic Grammar school, Agricultural University in Vienna, Animal Science
Thesis 1985 (Concentrate level in bull fattening)
Habilitation 1999 (Forage quality and concentrate level in dairy cows)

What is your area of expertise?

Nutrition of dairy cows and fattening cattle
Energy and protein supply of cattle
Prediction of feed intake
Efficiency of cattle production systems
Metabolism of dairy cows
Feed evaluation

Where does your focus lie within your current project(s)? (related to methane)

My current research project deals with nutrient efficiency of cattle production systems depending on genotype and nutritional level. The genotypes used are different strains of Holstein (High yielding type, New Zealand type, HF selected for superior lifetime milk yield, Dual purpose Simmental). Four nutritional levels are applied: 100% pasture, 100% conserved forage, 20% concentrates, 40% concentrates). The optimum level of production regarding both the economical and the ecological point of view are the main questions of this research. Ecological parameters investigated are nutrient efficiency, life cycle assessment and methane production measured in respiration chambers.

What would be the added value for you of joining an international researchers network? (such as the METHAGENE network)

Simply to say: to learn from each other.

What and/or who inspired you to make a career in science?

My social background (born on a cattle farm in a mountainious region) was very decisive for my studies in agriculture. Now research is my life. One has to be thirsty for knowledge.

What do you enjoy most about your work?

To plan experiments
To deal with the data and their statistical evaluation
To study literature

What is your most stand-out or surprising moment in science so far?

The importance of energy supply of rumen microbes for microbial protein synthesis
To recognize the existance of interactions between several factors(e.g. genotyp – environment, forage quality – concentrate level, etc.)