Bonafarm-Bábolna Takarmány Ltd. is proud of its cooperation with the Nyíregyháza Zoo in the field of nutrition, as the themes and the diversity of species displayed at the zoo are rare even in European comparison.
The Nyíregyháza Zoo is the first zoo in Hungary to display 5000 animals in spacious enclosures in a natural oak forest – among them rare species such as the Indian rhinoceros, the African elephant, the sand tiger shark or the Komodo dragon.
The park introduces new features to its enclosures every year. For example Ice World, an interactive display of the animals was opened in May 2024 and showcases rare arctic animal species in 2 hectares. The ice age that dates back 10,000 years is represented by realistic mammoths and mammoth skeletons. The house is full of animal species that can be considered rare from a zoological point of view, and the polar bear breeding centre is one of the main elements, with a unique feature: the largest enclosure is cooled and has a 4 m deep pool with glass walls, displaying the worlds largest land carnivore underwater. The enclosure of the king penguins is also a special feature, as it is cooled to a temperature of 0 °C and this species has never been on display in Hungary before, but visitors can also discover two other penguin species, the southern rockhopper penguin and the Humboldt penguin, that is native to warm climates.
Julianna Lukácsné Benke Head of the department for operations and nutrition, Nyíregyháza Zoo
There are so many novelties and natural treasures awaiting the visitors at the zoo, that we have no chance of even mentioning all in one article. Nevertheless, we do have real a professional curiosity for our readers and we asked the leader of the department for operations and nutrition at the Nyíregyháza zoo to help us present it, while also touching upon other interesting “behind the scenes” subjects and unique nutritional strategies. Julianna Lukácsné Benke has a degree in agronomy and started working at the zoo, a much envied workplace 25 years ago.
– What is the vision of the zoo, what are the objectives they strive to achieve that are important for society in the 21st century?
– The role of zoos has been greatly re-evaluated. While before their only aim was to show the animals to the visitors, modern zoos today are knowledge centres for zoology and play an important role in conservation, education and research, thus contributing to wildlife conservation. Nyíregyháza zoo keeps and breeds many species that are threatened by extinction in the wild, and thus plays a key role in the conservation of certain species. As a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) we keep and breed 106 species within the framework of conservation programs. We have successfully bred rare species such as the Bornean orangutan, the African elephant or the Indian rhinoceros.
It is our aim to present not only wild animals, but also species that live in the immediate environment of humans. This is why we show domestic animals in our Farmyard enclosure.
– Nutrition is a key issue for all animal species whether they are wild or domesticated animals. When did the cooperation start with Bonafarm-Bábolna Takarmány Ltd. regarding product development and which Bábolna feeds or feed supplements do you use at the zoo?
– The partnership started over 10 years ago when we were looking for a new supplier for a specific feed with a special composition and a very high fibre content, and Bonafarm-Bábolna Takarmány Ltd. was was open for the joint product development. The development of a new feed was justified by the fact that some ungulate species, such as giraffes eat leaves of bushes and trees in their natural habitat, and the composition and the fibre content of these is quite different from that of grasses, which means that a special diet would suit their nutritional needs much better than normal horse feed. We worked together on designing a special type of feed that is now produced under the name “giraffe feed” and has been used since then by many Hungarian zoos. We use this feed for our giraffes, antelopes and deer species that live in forest habitats. We feed this giraffe feed to hundreds of animals every day, which means we order about 4 tons every 4 to 6 weeks.
We use many other products from the Bonafarm-Bábolna Takarmány Ltd. portfolio as well. We use muesli and standard horse feed for our ungulates that feed on grass, using LG horse feed during lactation and for foals. For poultry species and specific exotic bird species we use poultry grower feed and turkey feed, for example our flamingos are fed poultry grower feed beside their special feed.
We also use – among others – the Nutrafort product line to ensure the vitamin supply and supplementation of our animals. We also use the rabbit feed of Bábolna Takarmány for example for the rabbits and guinea pigs that live in the Farmyard enclosure and the Bennett kangaroos.
– What kind of challenges does it pose to provide nutrition to a zoo that has such a high number of animals and such a variety of animal species?
– We face challenges continuously during our work and our experience in nutrition can help us find the changes we have to make. In the case of species with special requirements international nutritional recommendations are always available from the coordinator group of the given species that provide analytical composition and other parameters. When an animal arrives from abroad, it comes with a nutrition card containing the types of feed it was fed previously so we can make arrangements and provide the most appropriate keeping conditions. Every time a new species arrives to our zoo we evaluate its nutritional requirements and try to find a Hungarian product that fits its needs but in many cases we can only buy specialty feed from abroad. The giant ant eater is an interesting example, as it eats insectivore feed, and we also order panda feed for the red panda.
– What does the daily feeding routine look like in your zoo?
– Work starts at 7:30 and the zoo opens at 9 o’clock. We have a central feed kitchen with 4 employees to prepare the fruits, vegetables and grains. There is a nutritional table that shows the composition and the amount of the daily ration for every animal species. We have two employees who distribute the feed to the animal houses throughout the day. In the animal houses and enclosures it’s the zookeepers job to feed the animals.
We have a dedicated zookeeper who prepares the daily rations of the carnivores, and another two zookeepers who are responsible for feed preparation and feeding in the specialty fields of sea mammals and aquaristics.
– How much do the visitors see from all of this?
– We put great emphasis on providing visitor experiences and our zoo offers programs that include feeding. For example, this summer we have started a daily “spectacle” feeding of the polar bears with visitors watching through the glass walls of the huge swimming pool. This program is very popular and on selected days we offer further feeding experiences, for example in the penguin, the big cat and the elephant enclosures. Our zoo offers a number of interesting experiences beside these programs as well, visitors might see us performing environmental enrichment, letting our animals explore hidden or packaged treats in their enclosures.
– Who coordinates the procurement and the distribution of the feed?
– This is a team effort. Usually I will do the technical aspects and the calculations for procurement – also as part of a business plan – but we work as a team in our everyday lives with the colleagues from the zoology department and the veterinary team, who give me valuable feedback if there is a need to change something from a nutritional aspect. I love my job and I’m very happy to work in such an interesting field that provides continuous development, something new to learn every day.
Bonafarm-Bábolna Takarmány Ltd.
