At Pluim in Wekerom cattle are collected and then sent off in trucks for slaughter. During our visit there was no activity in the collecting center. We checked on the lairage and loading-platform design. The loading platform looked good, it had a well-designed curve to the lairage, the lighting was sufficient and the floor was anti-slip. We also visited the barn at the back of the farm where cattle are housed to be fattened. It was a traditional stanchion, which means that the cattle are always tied up. In this system cattle can only stand up and lie down. They can never walk around or go outside. We strongly advised Pluim to switch to group housing to give their cattle more freedom of movement and a more decent quality of life. Pluim told us that they were indeed considering this. Until than we strongly recommended them to make the ropes longer so the cattle can at least lick or scratch their rear ends. Right in front of the stanchion-barn Hungarian cattle were grazing outside on a beautiful field, which formed a strong contrast.
Unfortunately in the Netherlands, but also other European countries like Belgium and Germany a stanchion barn is still allowed. But legally cattle should have enough space to scratch and lick themselves which in many stanchion barns – is often impossible.
