After the Constitutional Court (VfGH) decision published on Monday to abolish the transition period for fully slatted floors in pig farming, which was set for 2040, and the announcement by Johannes Rauch (Greens) that he would hold talks with agriculture and animal welfare, Johannes Baumgartner from the University of Veterinary Medicine ( Vetmed) Vienna commented on the consequences of this pig breeding in the Ö1 “Mittagsjournal”. Conclusion: the disadvantages outweigh the disadvantages.
The full gap system is one that “certainly brings many advantages,” said the expert from the Institute for Animal Welfare Science and Animal Husbandry in an interview on Friday – but especially for the animal owners. However, according to Baumgartner, such a system is associated with some disadvantages for the animals , “among other things because it is not possible to separate the berth and the defecation area here because the two areas are placed on top of each other.” The result is that the animals constantly have to “live above a lake of excrement” – which is a problem for this odor-sensitive species is a particular problem.
Separation of animals and excretions required
When asked about the EU directives that have banned routine docking of pigs’ tails to prevent bites since 1991, Baumgartner said that the system of fully slatted floors promotes such behavioral disorders, in addition to the high stocking density of the animals. The antidote, however, is more space, closed berths and structural separation from their excrement.
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The best possible pig farming is “in a natural habitat”, but it is clear that in return there is a “commercial connection” with which farmers have to earn their income. “And against this background, compromises have to be made.” According to the veterinarian, the current system, which is optimized according to “economic and labor criteria,” is at the expense of the animals.
