Trick uncovered by the pig industry and the ÖVP: the “structured” fully slatted floor makes no noticeable difference for the pigs
Vienna (OTS) – According to Section 18 Paragraph (2a) of the Animal Welfare Act, “unstructured” fully slatted floors have been banned since summer 2022. This provision came into force at the beginning of 2023 for all new buildings and renovations. At first glance, you miss the word “unstructured” and think that fully slatted floors are forbidden. But this little word has it all. The ordinance on pig farming makes it clear how the ÖVP is using a trick to trick the public: as long as the fully slatted floor is not the same throughout the entire pen, but only has half the slats in a third, it is, according to the ÖVP, “structured” and therefore no longer forbidden. Nothing will change for the pigs, as the proven pig expert from the Veterinary University of Vienna, Prof. Johannes Baumgartner, confirmed to the VGT. All scientific studies on animal suffering on fully slatted floors are also valid for this new version.
That’s why today at Ballhausplatz in Vienna, the VGT placed both a conventional, unstructured, fully slatted floor, old, and a new, “structured”, fully slatted floor, new, each with 5 life-sized pig figures next to each other. The difference can only be seen after close inspection. Photos from companies using both versions of fully slatted flooring also show that they are essentially the same thing. The 10% more space that is offered to the animals on the new fully slatted floor means just one and a half A4 pages for an 85 kg animal. These are therefore not noticeable either. Hence the banner “ÖVP’s Suffering Culture: Fully Slatted Floor”, alluding to the dominant culture debate. The fully slatted floor should remain if the ÖVP has its way, and is therefore apparently seen as part of the Austrian cultural heritage of which one is proud. However, 92% of the population who demand straw for pigs see it completely differently.
VGT chairman DDr. Martin Balluch comments: “The fully slatted floor is still a fully slatted floor. There is currently no ban on new buildings. From the pigs’ perspective, the structured fully slatted floor is not an improvement.
These are the facts. No more tricks, we need a sustainable solution for the pigs with deep straw bedding in their own lying area where all the animals can sit next to each other at the same time! Without columns.
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Pressefotos (Copyright: VGT.at)
Questions & Contact:
VGT – ASSOCIATION AGAINST ANIMAL FACTORIES
DDr. Martin Balluch
Campaign management
01 929 14 98
media@vgt.at
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