Project content

Producing safe and high quality poultry products and decreasing the incidence of zoonotic diseases are common goals of Austria and Hungary. Both countries meet challenges in improving animal welfare, decreasing environmental pollution and feeding poultry with GMO-free feedstuffs (feed free from genetically modified materials). In order to achieve these goals, poultry health and nutritional aspects are of outstanding importance.

The Poultry Clinic of Vetmeduni, Vienna, and the Georgikon Faculty of the University of Pannonia are recognized as leading institutions in poultry health and poultry nutrition. Their common project involves joint research, advisory and teaching activities; and combines their different, but synergistic scientific profiles and infrastructure. The joint handling of nutrition and health aspects of poultry production establish an unprecedented approach to the common challenges in the region and beyond.

The involvement of the national poultry organizations as strategic partners from both countries to raise awareness of the most relevant problems and disseminate the results of the research and advisory activities in the region is an important point of the project.

Outcomes of the project include joint publications for the scientific community, for poultry and feed producers and consumers; wider knowledge base of students; and intensified contacts of the two poultry sectors in order to exchange best practices and address shared issues. Last but not least, the various public events and intercultural activities can help establish long term personalized contacts between the participants from the two sides of the border.

On the long run, the present cooperation can generate new projects in poultry production. Better understanding of poultry health and nutrition will also support more efficient use of natural agricultural resources, and help to boost agricultural livelihoods and sustainability in the region.