Picture this, a cow doing what it is intended to do – grazing outdoors and feeding, yes, on grass.

Difficult to believe; but Sweden is the only country in the world where cows over 6 months old must be given the opportunity to graze outdoors in Summer. Is that not a sensible and logical thing ? – cows outdoors in the sun eating grass ?

Now this right is under threat as farming unions move TO LOWER COSTS.

As anyone with any sense will tell you; grazing is an important natural behaviour for cows as it contributes to their physical and mental wellbeing. In 2019 the Swedish Board of Agriculture assessed that the grazing issue is too big an animal health and animal welfare issue for it to be removed or replaced. https://www.regeringen.se/contentassets/f5bfaefffbef406ab945f25e687087ef/sjv-rapport-2019-17-krav-pa-att-halla-djur-losgaende.pdf

The European Food Safety Authority also recommends that access to pasture should be mandatory in its latest scientific opinion of dairy cows – https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/7993

The country’s unique grazing experience is being questioned by the Swedish Farmers Association and other bodies, who argue that this policy makes the rearing of animals in Sweden more expensive than in other parts of the European Union – the EU, thus reducing competitiveness; hence they want the legal settlement to be removed; thus allowing farmers to decide for themselves.

These demands have been picked up by politicians; Minister of Rural Affairs, one Peter Kullgen, has appointed an enquiry into ‘Strengthen competitiveness for food producers’. Kullgrens Party has for many years asked and petitioned the Riksdag to have the grazing requirement removed by law.

The requirement TO ALLOW GRAZING is very well supported by the Swedish public; 84% of Swedes believing that it is important for animals to move freely outdoors. In another study https://www.nature.com/articles/srep44953 it was fount that an overwhelming 95% believe that it is important, or very important, that cows are allowed to graze.

Several animal welfare groups are pushing hard to ensure the legislation is not repealed and that Sweden’s high standards for cows are maintained.

At the end of March, the groups shown with their logos above, held demonstrations outside the Swedish Parliament; in addition to handing over a petition signed by no less than 165,000 persons. The press and media have been very supportive, giving the campaign lots of air time.

Like the current live export issue at the EU Parliament, one has to ask if we are witnessing here again trivial political point scoring overriding proven scientific animal welfare science – we would suggest probably a big ‘yes’ !

We at WAV wish all of our Swedish animal welfare campaigner friends the very best with their campaign to defend the rights of Swedish cows – they have huge public support on their side, so lets hope things continue unchanged for the cows !