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The Association |
Hansruedi Vonlanthen
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The Association |
Hansruedi Vonlanthen
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Will the new Horse Breeding Ordinance under Agricultural Policy AP22+ come into force on 1 January 2026?
Our understanding of this, quoted verbatim, as required by the Federal Council as a whole!
Only if the requirements are met can breeding organisations – umbrella organisations – receive financial assistance for herd book maintenance and the evaluation of breeding traits.
The implementation of Agricultural Policy 2022 – AP22+ places breeding programmes at the centre of funding. It must be ensured that there is an appropriate impact in the following areas:
⇒ Economic viability: profitability – the potential to generate a profit.
⇒ Product quality: suitability for use in sport or leisure disciplines.
⇒ Animal health: genomic evaluation and requirements regarding the horse’s behaviour, as well as space for natural behaviour to promote animal welfare.
⇒ Resource efficiency: making optimal use of funds! In particular, federal funding.
⇒ Environmental impact: horses are indispensable as partners in the sporting and leisure sector.
The term ‘breeding programme’:
The breeding programmes under scrutiny are managed by breeding organisations, as stipulated by the Horse Breeding Ordinance. However, none of the breed-specific breeding organisations meet these requirements.
Breeding programmes are drawn up by organisations maintaining the UZB (Original Breeding Register).
It is therefore clear that the requirements for so-called ‘recognised breeding organisations’ are handled by the responsible director, Dr C. Stricker, of the Department of Horse Breeding, according to his own opinion, his expert understanding and his ethical principles.
Swiss ‘Haflinger’ horse breeding: