Ackerschweine: Ackerschweine: Sicherstellung des Grundwasserschutzes in einer tierwohlfördernden Haltungsform

The development of innovative husbandry systems for pig farms in Austria is becoming increasingly important against the backdrop of growing interest in animal welfare among consumers and, in particular, farmers. In this context, it is imperative to ensure that pigs are kept in conditions that are as natural as possible, for example as part of crop rotation in the field. However, challenges often arise in the development and implementation of animal welfare-promoting husbandry systems, such as ensuring compliance with legal requirements, e.g. groundwater protection. The 'Ackerschweine' (field pigs) project is an initiative that seeks to establish the necessary framework for the implementation of an innovative form of pig husbandry within the context of arable farming. This husbandry system involves the keeping of pigs on unpaved arable land, with part of the area available to the animals covered by temporary tents. The nutrients excreted by the animals are to be bound by large amounts of litter and then spread in a controlled manner as farm manure on the farm's arable land. The project is to be executed in two phases. In the initial phase (Phase 1), the objective is to establish groundwater legislation requirements for this specific agricultural practice, with the aim of preventing an increase in nitrate discharge into the groundwater. The achievement of this objective will be realised through three stages: (i) preliminary tests on paved surfaces (AP 2.2), (ii) investigations of the sorption capacity of various bedding materials (AP 2.4), and (iii) modelling of the excrement produced, material quantities, and their dynamics under different environmental conditions and stocking densities (AP 2.3). The establishment of the fundamental requirements for ensuring the minimisation of nutrient input into the soil will be facilitated by these three stages. In the subsequent phase of the project, the optimised systems will be implemented on pilot farms (WP 2.5) and sustainable groundwater protection will be validated through monitoring of nitrogen dynamics (WP 2.6). The established pilot systems on the field will instruct interested pig farmers in the prerequisites and management requirements for the 'field pigs' system.  The result of the project will be a comprehensive information sheet for establishing the 'field pigs' farming method as an alternative system that promotes animal welfare while ensuring compliance with groundwater legislation in Austria.