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The problem-solving potential of veterinary medicine

Despite intensive research into the background and causes of production diseases (PDs), there is a lack of evidence that a substantial reduction in PDs in dairy cattle has been achieved in recent decades. The failure to solve the problem not only affects the image of livestock farmers, but also that of the veterinary profession. The latter has made a significant contribution to increasing productivity. However, it has not yet been sufficiently able to promote a significant reduction in pain, suffering and damage to livestock and thus the production of high-quality food from healthy animals.

The problem-solving potential of veterinary medicine: Full text as PDF

Statement on the draft bill for a new animal protection law

The draft bill to amend the Animal Welfare Act (TSchG) is justified by the fact that it is intended to close legal and enforcement gaps in the area of animal welfare and adapt the existing animal welfare regulations to current scientific and practical findings. From a scientific perspective, however, the draft fundamentally contradicts current scientific and practical findings. It is also incorrect to claim that there are no alternatives to the present amendments, additions and adjustments to the Animal Welfare Act.

Statement on the draft bill for a new animal protection law: Full text as PDF

Counterposition to the position paper of the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR) on the perspectives of agricultural and food sciences

With its position paper on the perspectives of agricultural and food sciences, the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR) has laid a foundation for further discussions. Like other positions, the WR's position must stand up to critical objections and well-founded arguments. In this counter-position, the top-down approach of the WR is contradicted in central points. By addressing general challenges in the "food systems" along the production and consumption chain, the WR misses the core and initial problem of the agricultural and food economy. At the same time, it underplays the importance of primary producers as the primary cause of socially relevant problems and the role of interest groups, including the disciplines of agricultural and food sciences, as advocates of particular interests at the expense of common good interests. In hardly any other branch of science is the discrepancy between the stated intentions and the actually existing potential for solving socially relevant problems so clearly evident.

Counterposition to the position paper of the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR) on the perspectives of agricultural and food sciences: Full text as PDF

Replica of the Discussion Paper of the German Veterinary Profession and the Statement of the German Society for Breeding Science

An inter-association working group of the German veterinary profession published a position paper in March 2022 on the subject: "Dairy cow performance and health risks". A working group of the German Society for Breeding Science commented on these statements in June. This initiated a long overdue interdisciplinary debate on the possible backgrounds of animal welfare-relevant health disorders in dairy cows, which have been at a high level for decades. The two contributions to the discussion are taken as an opportunity to enrich the debate with a further perspective.

Replica of the Discussion Paper of the German Veterinary Profession and the Statement of the German Society for Breeding Science: Full text as PDF

"Animal welfare" from a veterinary perspective.

In recent agricultural policy debates, the term "animal welfare" occupies a large space. The debate is dominated by those involved in agricultural policy, economics and science, as well as by the various professional associations in the agricultural industry and the food retail sector. In contrast, the veterinary profession is conspicuously silent in its public pronouncements on the "animal welfare debate".

"Animal welfare" from a veterinary perspective.: Full text as PDF

Ways out of the eco dead end?

Interview - Organic agriculture is at a dead end. it has failed on its way to developing a viable concept for solving problems facing society as a whole. Harsh criticism - it comes from Albert Sundrum, Professor of Animal Nutrition and Animal Health at the University of Kassel, Department of Organic Agricultural Sciences. In the Zeit dossier "Die Bio-Lüge" (The organic lie), he causes a stir with this. Biowelt spoke with Prof. Dr. Sundrum about the importance of organic standards for livestock, the new traffic light, standards for quality and the scaling of farms.

Ways out of the eco dead end?: Entire interview as PDF

Criticism of the Borchert Commission's recommendations

Animal welfare is a complex issue that can only be addressed to a limited extent with simplistic solutions. In view of the planned transfers of public funds of considerable magnitude, questions arise as to the appropriateness and proportionality of the use and distribution of funds. Whether the recommendations do justice to the complexity and the criteria of appropriateness and proportionality will be placed in an overarching context and subjected to a critical examination from the perspective of the common good.

Criticism of the Borchert Commission's recommendations: Full text as PDF

Other contributions:

We have provided a video recording of the debate "Organic Farming - Quo Vadis?" from June 24, 2015 for you.