The foundation of KRAV-certified livestock farming is respect for animals’ natural needs in terms of behavior, feed, and the environments in which they live. Animals must be given the opportunity to live as naturally as possible.
On a KRAV-certified farm, all animals must have free access to forage such as hay and silage. The feed must be KRAV-certified, meaning it is produced without synthetic chemical pesticides, and a large proportion of it must be grown on the farm. For poultry and pigs, however, a small proportion of conventional protein feed is permitted to support animal health and well-being. As a result, KRAV-certified livestock production requires KRAV-certified crop production as well.
Animal housing must provide sufficient space for movement, and all barns must have windows that allow natural daylight throughout the building. Animals should be kept in groups for most of their lives so they can express their natural social behaviors. However, it is natural for mothers to seek privacy when giving birth. KRAV therefore has additional standards beyond the EU organic regulation to ensure that cows, ewes, and sows have access to secluded areas during calving and farrowing.
Access to Grazing and Outdoor Areas
The KRAV standards require animals on KRAV-certified farms to spend extensive time outdoors grazing. Grazing provides feed, natural enrichment, and contributes to strong and healthy animals. This applies not only to dairy and beef cattle, but also to pigs, laying hens, chickens, sheep, and goats.
Organic farms have, on average, 50% more species of bees, bumblebees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects than conventional farms, as well as 70% more species of wild plants. Grazing animals play an important role in maintaining this biodiversity.
Cattle
Dairy and beef cattle on KRAV-certified farms must be outdoors grazing for at least 12 hours per day during the grazing season. A significant part of their feed intake comes directly from pasture. Outdoor access provides exercise, fresh air, and opportunities to express natural behaviors.
Young bulls are also allowed to graze, unlike in conventional Swedish farming systems where no such requirement exists.
Pigs
On KRAV-certified farms, pigs must have access to vegetated outdoor areas for most of the day during the grazing season, for at least four consecutive months. Grazing provides both feed and enrichment, allowing pigs to root in the soil and cool themselves in mud wallows during summer.
Only around 1% of pigs in Sweden have access to summer grazing.
Chickens
Chickens on KRAV-certified farms lead active lives with extensive outdoor access. They must have access to outdoor runs for at least one third of their lives and, from early spring until late autumn, they spend time outdoors whenever weather conditions allow.
Outdoor areas include trees and shrubs that provide shelter, while the vegetated ground offers opportunities for natural foraging and enrichment.
Laying Hens
Laying hens on KRAV-certified farms must have outdoor access for at least one third of their lives. They must be able to spend most of the day outdoors during at least four consecutive months between May and September.
Outdoor access allows hens to express natural behaviors such as foraging, scratching, pecking, and dust bathing.
Sheep and Goats
During the grazing season, sheep and goats on KRAV-certified farms must obtain at least 50% of their daily feed intake from pasture.
The animals must have access to outdoor grazing around the clock throughout the grazing season.
A Strategic Approach to Animal Health
Animals must be managed in ways that help them remain healthy. KRAV farmers are required to have a strategic animal health plan based on preventive measures. This includes routines for biosecurity, vaccination programmes, and parasite monitoring.
If animals become ill, they must be treated as quickly as possible. Following medication, a mandatory withdrawal period must pass before milk, eggs, or animals can be sold as KRAV-certified products. This withdrawal period is twice as long as that required in Swedish conventional production.
KRAV also has standards governing animal handling at slaughter. Animals must be slaughtered in the calmest environment possible and at KRAV-certified slaughterhouses that work systematically to improve animal handling and welfare.
To reduce the need for animal transport, KRAV standards also permit on-farm slaughter.