On 15 June 2021, an initial meeting took place between the projects under the Model and Demonstration Projects (MuD) for Animal Welfare, focusing on ‘Knowledge-Dialogue-Practice’, and the Focus on Animal Welfare network. The main aim was for the projects to get to know one another and to establish links between them. The aim of each individual project is the transfer of knowledge into agricultural practice. The projects are funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture as part of the Farm Animal Strategy, following a resolution by the German Bundestag.

The joint project “Fokus Tierwohl Network” kicked off the presentation with all its sub-projects. This was followed by the current MuD projects on pigs, poultry and cattle.

Following the presentation of the “Focus on Animal Welfare” joint project and all its sub-projects, the current MuD projects on pigs, poultry and cattle were presented. For the projects focusing on pigs, the “National Knowledge Network on Tail-Docking-Free Pig Farming” took the lead. Here, interested farmers receive support on how to start rearing pigs with curly tails. The website www.ringelschwanz.info, as a central element of the project, offers information on the topic of tail docking in the form of background knowledge, guidelines and checklists. In addition to the written information available on this topic, farmers can also attend numerous free seminars in their region or use the information helpline. The PIG-Check app, developed as part of the project, assists with carrying out risk analyses within the framework of the National Action Plan on Tail-Docking. Free online events are currently being held to discuss the various factors influencing tail-biting.

The Vision Pig project is committed to the efficient dissemination of knowledge via smartphone, tablet and PC. Various online tools inform farmers about the findings from MuD animal welfare farms. These range from optimal pen design to the cessation of tail docking. Information, exchange and knowledge from pig farmers for pig farmers are at the forefront.

As the final project in the pig sector, Prof. Dr Axel Wehrend from Justus Liebig University in Giessen presented the project ‘Alternatives to the use of PMSG/eCG in sow management’. PMSG/eCG is a hormone that can only be extracted from the blood of pregnant mares. In piglet production, it is used for oestrus synchronisation. The production of PMSG/eCG poses an animal welfare issue for horses. Avoiding its use in pigs therefore serves not only to reduce routine treatments on pigs, but also to put an end to the husbandry conditions that are sometimes contrary to animal welfare, particularly on South American horse farms, where it is produced for this purpose. Here, a link is forged between animal welfare for horses and pigs.

The Fokus Tierwohl network acts as a key multiplier for the Knowledge-Dialogue-Practice projects, as ‘Fokus Tierwohl’ is entirely dedicated to gathering, consolidating and processing existing knowledge in the field of animal welfare. Direct networking with other projects is therefore highly beneficial. Participants in the Knowledge-Dialogue-Practice projects, including Dr Tölle (NaWi Kupierverzicht) and Christoph Becker (Vision Pig), are already involved in the working groups of the Animal Welfare Competence Centre for Pigs within the Fokus Tierwohl network. Close cooperation between these projects is intended to make knowledge transfer even more effective in future. At the network meeting, for instance, the use of shared resources and close integration of the respective project websites were agreed upon. Relevant information is to be made even more easily accessible to interested pig farmers in future. In addition to virtual collaboration, joint in-person events are also planned for the future.