Animal welfare in nature conservation grazing
Extensive grazing with cattle and/or horses has become established in Germany as a successful management practice on nature conservation areas. In addition to the requirements for nature and species conservation, ensuring animal welfare also presents a challenge.
What might animal-friendly grazing look like in the context of year-round grazing on nature conservation areas? This question is addressed in the ‘Guidelines for animal-friendly year-round grazing’, and published by the Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare (TVT) and the David Nature Foundation.
The guidelines were updated in 2025 and are available for free download in two languages.
Those interested will find case studies, a collection of information and further training programmes on the website. A specialist training course on year-round grazing is currently being developed; information on this will also be available on the website at a later date.