On Tuesday afternoon, several animal rights, environmental, and consumer organizations submitted a petition to the government with over 110,000 signatures. They want Swedish dairy cows to retain their statutory right to graze outdoors during the summer.
The governing parties agree that the competitiveness of Swedish food production should be strengthened. Recently, the commissioned inquiry on the subject was presented. It proposes, among other things, a change to the right to outdoor grazing for dairy cows in loose housing indoors.
"Not scientifically based"
We believe that the proposal is not based on scientific evidence, says Lina Göransson, a veterinarian who researches animal environment and health at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU.
Together with 20 other researchers in the field, the majority from SLU, she criticizes the inquiry in a debate article in Svd.
I am fascinated by how many times the investigator points out that there are large knowledge gaps and that more research is needed, but still draws the conclusion that abolishing the grazing requirement would not negatively affect animal welfare, says Lina Göransson and continues:
At the same time, it doesn't even hold true, because there is a lot of research on grazing and animal welfare for cows.
In the debate article, the researchers point out that cows on pasture move more than in loose housing indoors, and have better opportunities to lie down, get up, and stretch out unhindered, as well as to perform normal social behaviors.
The government's decision is pending
What the government's proposal will be remains to be seen after a referral round.
It will have to take its course before we see where we will end up, says Minister for Rural Affairs Peter Kullgren (KD).
The Christian Democrats want to modernize the grazing requirement, and instead compensate farmers who have their cows outdoors with compensation similar to many European countries.
What do you think about a large group of researchers in the field believing that the inquiry commissioned by the government is not based on science?
That's what we should analyze. I know that the inquiry has hired researchers to review the scientific basis for this area. But we will review it just like we will review all other parts, says Peter Kullgren.
