Anyone participating in the RAUS programme (Regelmässiger Auslauf ins Freie — regular outdoor access) must document outdoor access in an exercise log. RAUS is just as relevant for cattle as it is for sheep and goats. The log records on which days animals had access to the outdoors or pasture. This log is the basis for subsidy payments and is reviewed during inspections.
What Inspectors Want to See
- Complete records of exercise days per animal group.
- Traceability: first and last grazing day, regular outdoor access in accordance with programme requirements.
- Up-to-date entries: the log is maintained continuously, not reconstructed retrospectively.
The exact requirements (number of days, conditions) are set by the federal government; the authoritative guidelines are those of FOAG and inspection bodies such as KUT.
RAUS or BTS — What Is the Difference?
- RAUS rewards regular outdoor access (pasture/exercise yard).
- BTS (Besonders tierfreundliche Stallhaltung — particularly animal-friendly housing) rewards the housing system in the barn (e.g. bedded lying areas, natural light).
Both programmes are voluntary, can be combined, and are linked to direct payments.
Paper Template or App?
A paper template works, but is error-prone: forgotten days, illegible entries, lost sheets. A digital exercise log records days in a structured way and can be exported as a clean proof of compliance for inspections.
Documenting with Herdy
In Herdy you record grazing and exercise days in a structured format and keep the log up to date — ready for the next inspection. What used to mean dreaded paperwork becomes an export at the push of a button.