PD Dr. Björn Kuhla is a cattle farmer by training, holds a doctorate in chemistry and is a lecturer in biochemistry at the University of Rostock. At the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), he heads the working group ‘Biochemistry of Nutrition, the focus topic ‘Livestock Farming in Sustainable Agricultural Cycles’ and is deputy director of the FBN. He is a member of the Committee for Nutritional Requirements of the Society for Nutritional Physiology (GfE) and the Scientific Advisory Board for the Feed and Feed Additives Section at the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). A long-standing focus of his DFG-funded research is on elucidating the regulation of metabolism in dairy cows during the peripartum period. He is involved in various federal ministry and EU-funded projects evaluating alternative feedstuffs for ruminants in terms of usability and emissions.
PD Dr. Björn Kuhla together with Prof. Dr. Lisa Bachmann are conducting Work Package 2.They will apply for approval to conduct the animal experiment from the State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety and Fisheries (LALLF) Mecklenburg Vorpommern.
Both partners will organize and conduct the feeding experiment with dairy cows at FBN. PD Dr. Björn Kuhla's tasks will include collecting feed and animal-related samples and data, measuring gas exchange, nitrogen balance and emissions.
He will analyze the sample material obtained in the animal experiment (rumen fluid, milk, blood, faeces, urine) with regard to numerous biochemical and molecular biological parameters in order to be able to make statements about the usability of individual algae ingredients, milk quality and animal health, as well as the emission levels of the animals. He will also provide further sample material for the project partners.