Animal welfare included in the NSP excludes some farmers who have so far used, for example, package 2.3 – suckler cow welfare. A farmer who would no longer qualify for the program heard that the new Welfare was “written for farmers who keep their animals indoors.” He then wrote a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Kowalczyk, in which he asked for changes to the KPS and asked if the introduction of animals in the buildings would contribute to the development of Polish cattle breeding.
As we have previously informed, our editorial team receives information on breeders, whose new form of Animal Welfare excludes from the group of beneficiaries of this payment.
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One of the ranchers decided to address this issue to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Henryk Kowalczyk. As he explains him, the reason for the letter was a telephone conversation with an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture on animal welfare in the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
– He informed us that since we do not keep animals in buildings, this new system is not for us, because it was written for farmers who keep animals in buildings – emphasizes Aleksandra Unieżycka in the letter, adding that so far she has used package 2.3 – welfare of the suckler cow.
This farmer has been raising Black Angus Abereen beef cattle for 14 years. The Uniezycki herd currently has 210 wet suckers. From the beginning, the farm has an ecological status. As Unieżycka points out, the animals on their farm benefit from conditions many times higher than the standards proposed in the national strategic plan.
– We cultivate over 370 hectares, in 95 percent. we are a farm specialized in the sale of weeds – underlines Uneycka. Adding that, thinking ahead, the breeders hypothesized an intensification of the pressure on sustainable agriculture, which influenced their decision on the direction of production. – Our basic assumption was to raise healthy, kind and strong animals that would provide the best material for further breeding (…). The measure for this purpose was, and is, in addition to the appropriate selection of animals from breeding farms, to ensure the best animal welfare, taking into account the specificity of this breed, ideal for extensive / semi-extensive breeding, in in line with the currently promoted trend of sustainable agriculture – he adds.
The breeder has pointed this out several times The priority of Unieycki breeding is to ensure the highest possible level of welfare and to allow animals to exhibit natural behavior.
The animals of this herd are grazed all year round. Friendly cows always stay in the herds, where they also give birth. Calves remain in the herd up to 8 months of age. As the breeder points out, this allows for the expression of natural behavior and the building of social structure in the herd.
– How important is it that cattle, their behavior, condition and health allow such behavior? How many points of the welfare system should it be worth guaranteeing such conditions with respect to, for example, “providing animals with living space in farm buildings increased by at least 50% compared to the minimum standards for a given species”? (the minimum area according to the regulation 4.5 m2 increased by 50% gives about 7 m2) – asks the farmer.
It is clear from the excerpts from scientific articles cited in the letter that it is free grazing over a large area allows animals to activate the instinctive behavior typical of large-scale herbivores.
– I remember winters, over 20 degrees of frost, falling snow and a flock lying on the hill, on a thick layer of uneaten hay, lazily observing the surrounding environment, calves playing under the watchful eye of their mothers. At the same time, the image of worlds destroyed by animals, treating them more like brushes, showed us how different animal behavior is from our image of well-being. To improve something, we must first understand it – emphasizes Unieżycka.
It also refers to the words of prof. Chabuza of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, who pointed out that too little emphasis is placed on grazing animals, fundamental in terms of product quality, and on the work of prof. Kalety of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences, showing that keeping cattle in a grazing system has “a positive effect on capturing greenhouse gases”.
– In addition, the sustainable use of pastures, I would like to remind you that we have been an ecological farm from the beginning, is very beneficial for CO2 sequestration, which makes it perfect for coal farming – emphasizes Unieicka.
– Then I turn to you, Minister Trunks, with the same question as your employee, It would be better for the development of cattle breeding in Poland and for the welfare of the animals if I limited the herd from 210 LU to 150 mothers, i.e. 150 LU (they produce crops on reclaimed land), “collect” animals in buildings and set parameters for lines guide to wellness? Of course, as a breeder, I am in favor of more help to farmers looking to improve animal welfare. However, I do not understand, and I believe it is unfair, that farms like ours should be excluded from this program. – emphasizes the breeder.
He also noted that Polish weed farmers are a very important element of the beef production chain in Poland.
– Why should a weaner who raises herds in a grazing system with the highest possible animal welfare, much greater than that of the suckling breeders, discriminate against them? – asks Uniezycka. – As our goal is to increase livestock farming, improve welfare and increase the share of organic farming to 25%. by 2030 it I ask for the possibility for livestock farms operating in the grazing system to join the punctual welfare system (…). – He adds.
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