Chamau: Research station of the ETH Zurich from 1948 to 2017

  • The farm Chamau has been bought in 1948 by the Swiss Government to open as a research station.

  • In 1986 the new barn for the milk cows could be opend. There are new possibilities in research with the scales to weigh the feed per cow and the milk measuring in the milking parlour.
  • In March 2017 the Chamau Research station has been closed and was sold to the kanton Zug who runs now the farm through the Agricultural School Schluechthof (Gutsbetrieb Chamau).

  • The main site from AgroVet-Strickhof in Lindau absorbs the function from the Chamau. Früebüel and Alp Weissenstein are part of AgroVet-Strickhof.

General

The farm «Untere Chamau» has been bought by the Swiss Government in 1948 to establish a research station for animal breeding.

Since then up to 2017 the resarch station was used for different purposes in research and education.

Environment

The Chamau is situated in the flat valley between the river Reuss and Lorze. The valley is lignend north-south and is situated in Canton Zug at the altitude of 400 metres above sealevel.

From 1959 - 1994 there has been an avearage precipitation form 1136 mm (890-1563) per year. During this period there were 150 (108-182) rainy days on aeverage per year.

The underground ist broken rocks and on top is heavy soil, profound, slightly sandy and humuos clay. The pH value ranges from 6.1 to 7.6. The unterground water is at high level.

Area of holding

64.2 ha land total

2.8 ha non-productive (roads, squares, buildings)

8.7 ha forest, hedges and reed

54.7 ha agricultural land

52.7 ha feed land

27.2 ha pasture land

22.5 ha artificial grassland

3.0 ha mais for silage

Animals

72 Dairy cows

40 Suckler cows *

35 Born calves per year

36 Cattle

100 Mother sheep

7 Breeding ram

45 Mother pigs **

5-10 Boars **

40 Fattening Pigs per turnover

* (Winter) ** (including upbringing)

Special facilities for research

  • 2 Respiration chamber for cattle / cows
  • Metabolisme house for 20 cattle / cows