Thuringian Animal Welfare Prize 2025: Pioneers in species-appropriate animal husbandry honored!

Thuringian Animal Welfare Prize 2025: Pioneers in species-appropriate animal husbandry honored!

On October 2, 2025, the ceremonial awarding of the Thuringian Animal Welfare Prize took place in the community hall of the Dacheröden house in Erfurt. This year, two animal husbandry companies were recognized for their exemplary commitment: Agrargesellschaft Hermannsfeld mbH and Landei Ilmtal GmbH. The prize is endowed with a total of 6,000 euros and is awarded annually by the Thuringian Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Work and Family to honor companies that are committed to the welfare of farm animals. tbv-erfurt reports that ...

Agrargesellschaft Hermannsfeld mbH, which is based in the Schmalkalden-Meiningen district, runs a dairy farm with an impressive 420 dairy cows and 368 calves and young cattle. The dairy barn, newly built in 2015, was converted to the highest animal welfare standards in 2020 and provides the cows with generous space of 12 m² per animal. The outdoor enclosure also leaves nothing to be desired: on 75 hectares of pasture, the animals have access to fresh air at least 120 days a year and can graze together there for six hours a day. In addition, modern equipment with high-comfort rubber mattresses and fully automatic cow brushes ensure the animals' well-being.

Modern standards for animal-friendly husbandry

In Weimarer Land, Landei Ilmtal GmbH impresses with its newly built free-range laying hen facility, which has been in operation since September 2021. There is space for up to 14,990 hens, which are kept in three compartments. The modern aviary extends over three floors and offers 100 percent scratching space. With generous access to 6 hectares of open space, the hens can behave in a species-appropriate manner and the facility is equipped with so-called winter gardens that offer them dust bathing and scratching opportunities. Innovative solutions such as spray cooling relieve the animals of heat stress and show that modern animal husbandry also focuses on the animals' well-being. sociales.thueringen.de adds...

The Thuringian Animal Welfare Prize is not only awarded in the “species-appropriate husbandry of farm animals” category, but also includes charitable animal protection and alternatives to animal testing. This year, seven winners were selected who have demonstrated outstanding commitment. The Minister of Social Affairs Katharina Schenk emphasized the importance of companies that promote animal protection through their efforts.

Animal welfare in the focus of society

The topic of animal welfare is of great relevance in Germany and is controversially discussed. More and more consumers want their food to be produced taking animal-friendly standards into account. According to a 2021 survey, 50 percent of those surveyed could imagine paying more money for meat products if it promotes animal welfare. These developments reflect the trend that for many consumers animal welfare is also an important aspect of sustainability. statista describes the current trends…

Overall, both sustainable animal husbandry and awareness of animal protection characterize today's agriculture in Thuringia and beyond. This is impressively demonstrated by the current winners of the Thuringian Animal Welfare Prize, who make a valuable contribution through their exemplary practice.