[Demonstration project stimulates welfare of domestic animals].

The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries has a policy of stimulating the well-being of animals. This policy has led to the so-called Animal-friendly Housing Systems Demonstration Project. Various housing systems are demonstrated in full function on a number of farms (ca 90). The Demonstration Project highlights aviary systems for laying hens, a container transportation system for broilers, the housing of sows in groups, free-range systems for sow and fatteners and a strawflow system for fatteners. For beef bulls the farms show how group housing can be combined with rubber covered slatted floors or littered cubicles. For veal calves the farms show group housing combined with rubber covered slatted floors, more space per animal and or feeding of roughage. For female followers these are laying areas covered with straw. Brochures on the various systems are available in the Dutch language.