A healthy udder produces more milk
With Lotte and Liesl "nothing worked"
From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
We bought Lotte (8 years old) and Liesl (5 years old) from a cattle dealer. Due to their mastitis (inflammation of the udder), both cows should have been sent to slaughter.
We know nothing about Lotte and Liesl’s life story. Due to their mastitis, they were no longer able to withstand the demands of dairy farming and their lives would therefore have ended prematurely. Depending on how they are kept, cattle can live for 10, 15, 20 to 25 years or even longer.
The dairy industry and its importance in the field of agriculture
In 2022, the dairy industry accounted for around 18% of agricultural production at 1.9 billion euros, making it the most important agricultural sector in Austria. Around 24,000 dairy farmers produce 3.9 million tonnes of raw milk, of which around 89% is supplied to dairies.On average, there are 20 dairy cows on a grassland-based family farm.75% of dairy farms operate in mountain areas and thus contribute to the optimal utilisation of extensive grassland.The consistent continuation of the quality strategy is the basis for maintaining the competitiveness of the Austrian dairy industry. 100% of the raw milk supplied to domestic dairies is GMO-free. (Source: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2022).
Facts, figures, profit - it's about an animal that can't defend itself against it
Lotte and Liesl should have given in to the butcher. Gut Aiderbichl is home to some cattle that have escaped from their farm and sometimes instinctively fled before they were taken to the slaughterhouse.
If consumers could experience cattle more consciously, they would realise how highly intelligent and social cattle are. They observe us humans, recognise the voice of their farmers and know exactly when they are meant.
If consumers knew how much the mother cow suffers when her calf is taken away from her after calving, they would treat all the dairy products you can buy in the supermarket with more respect.
A healthy udder secures income in dairy farming
A healthy udder and the production of high-quality milk secure income in dairy farming. The entire environment must be right for the animal to stay healthy. Mastitis is a painful inflammation of the mammary gland. It is an expression of the body’s own defence system, which tries to get a pathological process under control.
The treatment of mastitis costs several hundred euros.
teat injuries, summer pastures with shade, clean housing conditions, etc. should help to prevent inflammation.
How are Lotte and Liesl?
Lotte and Liesl have been living in their new forever home in Iffeldorf for a few weeks now. Both let us know that they are happy to have been given a second chance.
They don’t have to put up with any pressure and can move around safely and securely with their mates in the stable or on the pastures. The two cows spend their lives quietly and cosily in the herd of cattle in Iffeldorf.
Wherever an animal is forced into the service of man, the suffering it endures concerns us all!
– Albert Schweitzer
Liesl and Lotte should be able to lead a free and species-appropriate life without ever having the impression that they are farm animals.
Your Gisela
