MKS outbreak in Brandenburg: Red alarm level for animal husbandry!

MKS outbreak in Brandenburg: Red alarm level for animal husbandry!

In Brandenburg, the outbreak of mouth and claw disease (MKS) has led to intensive discussions about factory farming. According to Thomas Schröder, President of the Animal Welfare Association, the high number of animals in agriculture is an essential factor for the rapid spread of epidemics. He emphasized that dealing with animal stands had to be covered, since the current breeding practice at maximum performance endangers the resistance of the animals. These critical points were discussed in the "Critical Agricultural Report", which addressed the insufficient conditions of housing in factory farming. However, the current MKS outbreak is due to a water buffalo in Hönow and remained regionally limited, which is why no further cases have so far been found in other companies. Preventive measures already led to the killing of 600 animals nearby to prevent the virus spread, according to RBB24.

The role of keeping conditions and funding measures

In a deeper discussion about the keeping conditions for farm animals, the Thünen Institute found that hygiene and organic security measures are crucial to prevent epidemics. Henning Kaufmann from FU Berlin emphasizes that larger companies can often offer better safety standards, but this does not rule out that even smaller companies with adequate management can be successful. In the debate about animal-friendly attitudes, financial incentives for farmers are necessary, as the Thünen Institute represents. These could lead to the introduction of animal -friendly posture practices that meet both the needs of the animals and are economically portable.

The problems related to factory farming and animal welfare are not only a health, but also an ecological topic. Intensive animal husbandry is responsible for a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Federal Environment Agency, agriculture is responsible for around 68 percent of emissions in Germany. A rethinking in animal husbandry is essential to counter the challenges of the climate crisis and disease prevention, which is also reinforced by the discussions about the latest MKS outbreak, the specialist institutions also report.

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