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To ensure a high standard of animal welfare, at least one of the Swiss federal animal welfare programmes must be implemented: outdoor access on a regular basis (OARB), particularly animal-friendly housing systems (PAFHS), or pasture subsidy.

The OARB programme guarantees that animals get access to pasture on at least 26 days every month in summer. During the winter months, they can go outdoors on at least 13 days each month.
For participation in the PAFHS programme, multi-area housing systems, in which the animals live in groups, are mandatory. The animals must have opportunities for rest, exercise and activities, all of which must suit their natural behaviour. Lying areas and non-littered spaces must be accessible all day long.

The pasture subsidy programme stipulates that the animals must get access to pasture on at least 26 days in each month of summer. During the winter half of the year, the animals must get access to an outdoor space (yard or pasture) on 22 days each month. In addition, at least 70% of their feed must consist of pasturage.

In Switzerland, cows must have a name and cannot be registered in the Animal Tracing Database under mere sequences of numbers or special characters. This practice reinforces appreciation and attachment with regard to the animals. The herd size on Swiss dairy farms is traditionally small, at 29 cows per farm on average. This allows milk producers to maintain a personal relationship with each animal.

The first days after birth are crucial for a calf’s health and well-being. A good start in the first few weeks has a positive impact on later life. To ensure the best conditions in the first phase of life, calves must remain on their farm of birth for at least 21 days.

At cattle shows, the animals’ overall physical appearance is assessed. Participation in such shows is subject to strict requirements, the aim of which is to guarantee animal welfare at all times. Participants must comply with the show regulations issued by the Association of Swiss Cattle Breeders (ASR). In addition, the interval between milkings must not exceed 14 hours, so as to avoid painful overfilling of the udder.

Every slaughter must be as stress-free and pain-free as possible. The slaughter of pregnant animals is only allowed in absolute emergencies, e.g. in the event of serious accidents, because too little is known about when young animals in the womb begin to feel pain. Cows’ pregnancy status must be recorded in writing on the accompanying documents, so as to make sure that no pregnant cows are slaughtered. If in doubt, milk producers are obliged to arrange a pregnancy test.

Clear regulations govern the medical care of our cows. Milk producers take great care to ensure that medication is used appropriately in each situation. Critical antibiotics are administered only in exceptional cases for specific purposes and must be prescribed by a veterinarian.

The use of antibiotics for livestock has declined by 50 percent over the last ten years. Since 2018, there has also been close cooperation with the association Kometian, whereby member farmers receive discounts on consultations about complementary medicine (e.g. homeopathy or herbal medicine), which avoids the use of antibiotics.

The ecological performance certificate (EPC) provides the basis for environmentally friendly agriculture. The EPC requirements are demanding and cover all aspects of sustainable production. They encompass animal-friendly housing, appropriate fertilisation and soil cultivation (crop rotation, soil protection), as well as ecological compensation areas.

Those who feed protein-rich soya meal to dairy cattle must obtain it from sustainable, deforestation-free sources, thus utilising a by-product of soya bean oil production.

The ‘swissmilk green’ logo guarantees that dairy cows’ feed is free of palm oil and palm fat.

Proper milking, in harmony with the lactation cycle and using well-functioning milking equipment, prevents udder diseases, while also enhancing milk quality, milk yield, animal welfare and animal health.