GrazeWEL project

With the transition from tie-stall housing to loose housing, the portion of the Finnish dairy cow herd legally required to have outdoor access is decreasing.

However, there are both potential welfare benefits for dairy cows obtained from going outdoors and a continued societal expectation of outdoor access. The GrazeWEL project is a research effort, funded by the Finnish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, focused on understanding the resources cows value when outside, how they utilize those resources, and the relative welfare benefits of going outside compared to staying indoors. Ultimately, this will provide insight into how to effectively create meaningful opportunities for being outside.

Researchers: Peter Krawczel and Aino Sjöholm

Funding: The Development Fund for Agriculture and Forestry in Finland (Makera)