Pasture farming rethought: tips for animal welfare and profitability!

Pasture farming rethought: tips for animal welfare and profitability!

An exciting practical seminar recently took place in the Lichtenfels district, organized by the Office for Food, Agriculture and Forestry (AELF) Coburg-Kulmbach. On this day, 18 farmers found out about the various advantages and challenges of pasture farming, always accompanied by the expertise of Bioland consultant Ulrike Koch and fence construction expert Siegbert Lamparter. This exchange was not only educational, but also necessary to make grazing economically attractive in times of drought and feed shortages.

Marina Auchter from AELF highlighted the positive effects of pasture farming. This type of animal husbandry not only offers better fertility and hoof health, but is also economically advantageous. For example, the cost calculation can be set up with 70 cows in the running yard, which cost around 57,000 euros annually, against pasture farming with 600 m² per animal, which only costs around 7,000 euros.

Focus on grazing and animal welfare

Pasture farming is an important topic that is associated with high animal welfare. However, many dairy cows continue to live in stables. The model and demonstration project “Improving animal welfare when dairy cows are kept on pasture” has developed critical criteria for pasture keeping in recent years. The aim was to promote grazing, improve feed and water supplies and at the same time support economical milk production. In this context, feed intake is also important, because in pasture farming this cannot be controlled as well as in stables, which can sometimes lead to inadequate care, according to focused-tierwohl.de.

The project, which ran from 2021 to 2023, was able to develop various recommendations through close collaboration between the University of Vechta, the University of Göttingen and the Grassland Center Lower Saxony/Bremen e.V., which were tested on 30 agricultural operations. A comprehensive grazing guide was also created, which serves as a valuable tool for farmers.

Practical tips for implementation

The seminar leader Siegbert Lamparter presented important aspects of fence construction, which is essential for successful grazing. He emphasized the need for correct grounding and the selection of the right materials as well as the use of high-quality stranded wires. These structural measures are important in order to keep the cows safe and avoid grazing.

Another practical aspect is the water supply for the cows, which need an average of 70 liters of water every day and should have a maximum of 150 meters to the next water trough. Well thought-out management, which means food and water supply, is therefore crucial for animal health and should always be taken into account.

Last but not least, the participants of the seminar also have the opportunity to benefit from funding through the Bavarian Mountain Farmers Program, which is provided, among other things, for livestock protection fences and young cattle pastures. These subsidies can provide an important incentive to further promote and improve grazing, which benefits both animal welfare and economic sustainability. In summary, we can say: There is something to be said for the future of our pasture farming!