The Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals (FBN) in Dummerstorf; Germany, has a staff of 250 persons, and is a member of the Science Association Leibniz. We are located near the city of Rostock in the north-east of Germany close to the Baltic Sea. Our research is concerned with interdisciplinary basic as well as applied research on farm and model animals providing the bases for an ecologically sound, sustainable animal production including biotechnology. Research areas comprise molecular biology, muscle biology and growth, nutritional physiology, genetics, reproduction biology, and behavioral physiology and animal welfare.

The work of the Research Unit Nutritional Physiology focuses on the following main topics: Nutritional programming, endocrine metabolic regulation, nutrient partitioning, feed intake regulation, as well as energy and protein metabolism.
Research is performed on the impact of in utero (pregnancy nutrition) and early post-natal nutrition for offspring development, health and performance as well as the influence of nutrition during pregnancy on formation and mobilization of maternal body reserves as well as metabolism pre- and post partum and health. Here we follow a life-long-nutrition concept.

We analyze the metabolic and endocrine regulation of feed intake in dairy cows and laboratory animals and nutrient partitioning in farm animals.
A further focus is on the glucose metabolism in ruminants (newly born calf, high-yielding dairy cow) and how feeding, ontogenetic and performance stage influence endocrine regulation.
Using our Large Animal Indirect Calorimetry facilities we perform research on the physiological and regulative processes underlying energy metabolism variability. To study quantitative aspects of nutrient transformation and turnover we use several stable isotope tracer methods.

Scientists involved in COST Action Feed for Health: Cornelia Metges and Harald Hammon.