Full-Slat Floors in Cattle Farming: Burgenland Appeals to the Austrian Constitutional Court

Currently, only the keeping of certain cattle on fully slatted floors is prohibited. However, for animals that are not intended for breeding, it is allowed, clarified Burgenland's governor Doskozil.

Burgenland Criticises Unequal Treatment of Fully Slatted Floors in Cattle Farming

"If the federal legislator assumes that some animals may not be kept on fully slatted floors due to the increased risk of diseases, then this must also apply to the same animals if they are not used for breeding," emphasised the governor. He sees this as an "objectively unjustified unequal treatment between fattening and breeding cattle" in the Animal Protection Act. He now plans to have this reviewed by the Constitutional Court in terms of its compatibility with the constitutionally established state goal of animal protection as part of a norm review procedure.

Transition Period in Pig Farming: Burgenland Could Go to the Constitutional Court Again

Doskozil could also imagine filing another complaint due to the ban on fully slatted floors in pig farming. There is still no new regulation for the transition period lasting until 2040, which will be lifted on 1 June 2025. "If there is another long transition period, we will have the law reviewed again by the Constitutional Court," he announced. In Burgenland, Doskozil wants to develop a new funding model to compensate for the abolition of the suckler cow premium. This is also intended to strengthen regional cattle breeding, put a stop to painful animal transports and improve the competitive chances of local agriculture, said the governor.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.