Despite lower profitability, suckler cow husbandry is still an important sector of Slovenian agriculture, both from the point of view of meat production and for the maintenance and prevention of overgrowth of agricultural land, especially in areas with limited farming conditions. In these regions, the animals are mainly grazed all year round and are only housed in barns during the winter. The vast majority of suckler cows with calves are still kept in tie-stalls. In view of the annual increase in the number of suckler cows, it is necessary to strive to convert these barns to loose housing systems such as deep straw, pressed manure or compost bedded pack barns. This will ensure the welfare and well-being of the animals and increase the productivity and efficiency of the farmers’ work in the barns. It is also important to follow modern trends when building barns for suckler cows. We have gained an insight into the state of suckler cow barns in Slovenia based on the inventory of suckler cow barns carried out as part of the CRP project “Development of sustainable barn concepts”. The analysis included 31 farms with suckler cow husbandry. The survey revealed that most of these farms have old barns whose dimensions and equipment do not meet today’s standards. Most farmers keep their suckler cows on pasture during the grazing season. In winter, however, the animals are housed in various types of barns that lack of space and still require a considerable amount of work to feed the animals and remove manure. Farmers introducing new housing methods for suckler cows are striving to provide the best possible conditions for the animals while making their daily work easier.
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