Livestock farming and food quality

Our research group is developing projects and carrying out field studies on the relationship between farming systems and food quality, with a special focus on consumers’ understanding and perception. Characterization of animal-source food products is performed in several labs, equipped with the most recent technology.

We work in close collaboration with producers and local food chains delivering not only high quality products but also a wide range of ecosystem services – such as biodiversity conservation, meadows and pastures maintenance, risk reduction for what concerns hydrogeology and wild fires, as well as animal health and welfare.

Therefore, in addition to identify optimal animal husbandry systems and food quality attributes (e.g. nutitional and sensory), we aim to support local food chains by measuring the provision of ecosystem services in order to strengthen their multifunctional role.


Scientific Staff


Research topics

  • Effect of management practices (i.e. feeding, genetics, husbandry system) on chemical, nutritional and sensory quality of animalorigin food products
  • Welfare assessment methods in mountain dairy systems
  • Environmental impact evaluation using Life Cycle Assessment approaches in multifunctional mountain dairy farms
  • Feeding behaviour of dairy cows on alpine pastures
  • Climate change mitigation actions in the agricultural sector (in collaboration with the Regional Agency for Rural Development, ERSA)
  • Valorization of monobreed products (in collaboration with Italian Simmental Breeders Association, ANAPRI)
  • International cooperation farming projects in SubSaharan countries