The last few days’ wonderful sunshine and calm weather has been worth waiting for. They set the perfect scene for a demonstration of the new cattle research facilities at AU Foulum. AU Foulum started using the facilities back in February 2020, but, until now, it has not been possible to invite for the official opening and an open house event due to the corona pandemic.

Official opening

Tuesday 31 August 2021 was the day for the official opening of the new cattle research facilities. Rector Brian Bech Nielsen; the dean for Technical Sciences, Eskild Holm Nielsen; the management team from Department of Animal Science and a number of other specially invited guests participated at the opening of the facilities.

The opening offered speeches and a guided tour in the centre’s new settings consisting of four new barn facilities. At the same occasion, the recently resigning head of department, Klaus Lønne Ingvartsen, was thanked for 14 years of energetic effort and contributions to positioning Aarhus University as a leading university within international agricultural research. Furthermore, Charlotte Lauridsen was welcomed as the new head of department at Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University. Charlotte’s first day of work as head of department is 1 September 2021. 

Open house

Wednesday 1 September 2021, the centre opened its doors again – this time for an open house event for everybody interested; and many took the opportunity. Approximately 450 guests decided to drop by to inspect the impressive research settings for cattle.

Head of centre Jens Bech Andersen opened the day with a welcome speech, and the centre employees and cattle researchers at Aarhus University were on the dot in the various barn sections to tell about the many possibilities for current and future research activities, which the unique research facilities enable.

The new research facilities consist among others of a new cattle barn with electronic feeding troughs and equipment for measuring the methane emission, a new milking parlour including a technique basement, a flexible barn for behavioural studies and not least a new intensive barn with four climate chambers and 20 single boxes customised for loose-housed fistulated and multi-catheterized cows. In this part of the intensive barn, guided tours were planned at fixed hours at which the guests with their own eyes could see the cows with “a hole in the stomach”.

Furthermore, HMC and SAC, who led the turnkey contract, and a number of subcontractors were present at their stands. The guests could also slake their hunger and thirst at the hot-dog stand in the courtyard between the new experimental barns.

A big THANK you to everyone who decided to drop by – both at the official opening and at the open house event.

More information

See presentation video of the Danish Cattle Research Centre
Read more about the new DKC
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