From an animal welfare perspective, on-farm and pasture slaughter is a recommended alternative to slaughter. Potential stressors such as live transport, grouping with other animals and waiting times are avoided. Since the permitted transport time for on-farm slaughtered animals to the slaughterhouse was extended from 45 to 90 minutes in February 2024, on-farm slaughter has become a logistically feasible option for a larger number of farms.
The growing interest in on-farm slaughter is currently accompanied by a great need for practical information. The aim of the project is to provide farms with this information in an optimized format so that farm slaughter can be carried out in the most professional way at all times. To this end, a variety of communication formats will be used, focusing on mutual learning and information sharing. In addition to advisory services and newsletters, practical videos will be developed and made available to all interested farms. A networking meeting will provide further opportunities for cooperation. The project is aimed at both organic and non-organic farms.
Haldimann-Stiftung, Switzerland
Project management
