The voluntary animal welfare labelling scheme (the animal welfare label) is a state labelling scheme thataims to bring about market-driven improvements in animal welfare for as many animals as possible.

Order on the voluntary animal welfare labelling scheme.

The Order on the voluntary animal welfare labelling scheme contains criteria that the herds andestablishments that have signed up for the scheme with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration mustcomply with in order for their products to be labelled with the animal welfare label. The scheme covers pig,broiler and bovine herds as well as establishments which, for example, slaughter, process or sell products fromthese herds.

The voluntary animal welfare labelling scheme (the animal welfare label) is a state labelling scheme that aimsto bring about market-driven improvements in animal welfare for as many animals as possible. The schemehas been in place since 2017.
The Order on the voluntary animal welfare labelling scheme contains criteria that the herds and establishmentsthat have signed up for the scheme with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration must comply with inorder for their products to be labelled with the animal welfare label. The requirements for the herds registeredfor the scheme are more far-reaching compared to the general animal welfare requirements for pig, broiler andbovine herds.
The animal welfare label currently contains one set of criteria for bovine herds producing milk and one set ofcriteria for bovine herds producing meat. These are now merged into one set of common criteria for all bovineherds under the label. The merge has led to an adjustment of some of the criteria for bovine herds.
The amendment of the Order adjusts the space requirements for bovine animals held in group penning, so thatthe requirements for herds registered for the animal welfare label continue to be more far-reaching comparedto the general requirements for bovine herds.
In addition, limit values are introduced for maximum permitted mortality rates for cows and calves in the bovineherds wishing to be registered for the label. The limit values for mortality rates will only apply from 1 July 2026.
All level 3 bovine herds will in future be subject to a cow-calf period requirement of 24 hours after calving, aswell as a requirement for milk delivery via teat or teat bucket during the first 12 weeks of the calf’s life.
In addition, a requirement is introduced for level 1 bovine herds for calves and young animals to be held ingroups of two or more animals which are uniform in age and weight, unless they are kept together with theirmother or a ‘nursing aunt’ (a cow used for nursing calves that are separated from their mother).
For bovine herds of level 2 and 3 respectively, the applicable requirements for the access of the animals tooutdoor and pasture areas shall be merged. Level 2 animals for slaughter are exempt from the requirement ofaccess to outdoor and pasture areas. The starting point at level 3 is that bovine animals over four months musthave access to pasture during the summer months.
In addition, a requirement is introduced that dairy cattle must have lived at least three months under the animalwelfare label before they can deliver milk under the label.