Cattle Arya stayed behind alone
Now she has a new family at Gut Aiderbichl
Cattle are generally not very aggressive. Nevertheless, there are always clashes with humans, for example on alpine pastures. The story of calf Arya also begins with such an unfortunate event.
The farmer was too optimistic
It all started like this: A farmer was interested in two Dexter cattle. These belong to a so-called dual-purpose breed that produces both meat and milk. They are quite undemanding in terms of feed and husbandry and are generally regarded as a small, robust and good-natured breed of cattle. But Arya’s mother was an exception. Arya’s mother stood out due to her behaviour as soon as she was purchased. She met people with scepticism. Had she perhaps had little contact with people in the past? Such experiences often lead to cattle reacting shyly or even aggressively. Nevertheless, the farmer was optimistic: with a lot of love and affection, the behaviour would certainly improve, he thought. Species-appropriate husbandry with sufficient space and food should also contribute to balanced behaviour.
However, this was not the case with Arya’s mother. She kept attacking the farmer. Was it because of her strong maternal instinct? It is known that mother cows become aggressive more quickly when they want to protect their calves – a completely natural behaviour.
Calf Arya stayed behind alone
The family finally drew a difficult conclusion: things could not go on like this and Arya’s mother was released for slaughter. Her calf, Arya, was left alone. It was not an easy time for the 1.5-year-old calf. But like the character Arya Stark from the series “Game of Thrones”, after whom she was named, she showed strength, independence and bravery – qualities that many associate with this name.
There were still horses on the farm, but no other cattle. But a life without conspecifics? That wasn’t an option for Arya in the long term. Cattle are herd animals, and keeping them in a group is essential for their well-being and a species-appropriate lifestyle. That’s why a new home was sought for Arya. The brave cow now lives at Gut Aiderbichl in Henndorf. Here she feels at home and is spoilt by our animal keepers.
