History of the LVAT

In 1993, the then Ministry of Agriculture (MELF) took over parts of the Groß Kreutz livestock farm into the departmental assets of the State of Brandenburg.

With the handover of the experimental farm on 01.07.1993 by the MELF to the Teaching and Research Station for Animal Breeding and Husbandry e.V. (LVAT), founded in 1992, maked the beginning of the development of the Groß Kreutz site into a center for performance testing, applied reseach and demonstration of modern methods of livestock farming in Brandenburg.

With funds from the European Union, the federal government and the state of Brandenburg

• the station of permformance testing for beef cattle, sheep and pigs, barns for dairy and suckler cows and sheep were built
• the infrastructure of the estate was completely renewed, modern office and conference rooms as well as accommodation for trainees, interns and students were created
• the operation of a biogas plant for research and demonstration purposes startet
• in 1996, the slaughterhouse for pigs in Ruhlsdorf was modernized for the EU standards, installation of a natural gas CHP unit with exhaust air heat recovery was installed

The most important joint projects carried out with the present Landesamt für ländliche Entwicklung (State Office for Rural developement) LELF are

• investigation of the performance-enhancing rearing of young cattle
• the dairy cow husbandry in outdoor climate with the use of milking robots
• the year-round free-range rearing of sluckler cows and varios fattening methods for beef cattle
• testing of different sheep breed crosses
• studies on landscape management with sheep
• evaluation of opportunities for rationalization of herd management
• feed value performance testing for the testing of compound feeds for pigs in Brandenburg
• testing of probiotic feed additives, trace elements and feed components in piglet rearing and pig fattening
• demand-oriented boar fattening, boar taint
• emission measurements in pig fattening
• sensory and chemical-physical meat quality
• testing of a more animal-freidliy husbandry system for pigs

Experiences from this professional work formed the basis for professional conferences, training courses, seminars and guided tours for professionals, which were carried out together with the LELF.

In the following we represent you the development of our location from 1993 until today: 

1993

• Construction of the shelter, used today for our performace testet bulls

• Reconstruction of the quarantine barn for progeny testing (today dairy calfs 6-12 weeks)

1994-1995

• Reconstruction "Stall1" for "station test cattle" (2005 again reconstruction including laying of rubber mats on slatted floors)

1998-1999

• New construction modern outdoor climate barn with two milking robots

2003:

• New construction of biogas plant with 40kW capacity (2006 expansion to 80kW)

• New construction of the shelter for Uckermärker breeding bulls

• New construction of the heifer run for dairy cattle (today also dry heifers)

2005

Redevelopment of the Groß Kreutz site with EU funding:

• Conversion "Barn 2" to "Young Cattle Barn

• Conversion of dormitory into meeting and communication center (space for 4 trainees, 19 students, interns, visitors, opening 2006)

• Purchase of double 7 herringbone milking parlor for training purposes and milk tank.

2007 Completion of site redevelopment

2014

• Extension of the cow barn with pens for calving and the separation of sick animals.

• Roofing "calf village" and extension "young cattle barn

• Conversion of young cattle barn into "Wellfarestall" and commissioning of third milking robot
   

2015

• New construction quarantine area for progeny testing