Research laboratories

The work of the Animal Production Research Unit concerns the proposal for "Alternatives for the biotechnical design of agro-ecological livestock systems in humid tropical environments".
The aim is to produce knowledge and technologies for a "productive and sustainable" agriculture in which the environmental damage and harmfulness of products are minimised, in accordance with the principles of agro-ecology.
This work is based on the multidisciplinary skills developed by the entire scientific team at URZ.

Three research themes are developed:

1. Adaptation of animals to tropical breeding constraints
This theme focuses on animal resources and aims to characterize and analyze certain adaptive functions of farm animals from a physiological and genetic perspective. These functions are exploited and enhanced to make animals more autonomous: reduction of inputs including medicines, reduction of different costs induced by the breeding environment and flexibility of the animals in the face of environmental changes.

2. Multi-criteria assessment of tropical plant resources
In order to design new biologically efficient and sustainable production systems that minimize the use of agricultural inputs and negative environmental effects, resource assessment criteria need to be expanded. In addition to the food value, we have increased the knowledge of the other values of these tropical resources, in order to better respond to the necessary evolution of livestock systems in the current context. This is all the more justified in tropical zones as the plasticity to change production systems is greater than in temperate zones.

3. Zootechnical, agronomic and environmental assessment of tropical livestock systems
Increasing agricultural production remains a major concern, but the agricultural challenges of tomorrow are more complex: food systems must guarantee food available in quantity and quality for all; agriculture must be developed in such a way as to increase the incomes of small farmers without compromising its ability to meet future needs.