Little Filou
had luck
From the perspective of Gut Aiderbichl
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
Much of this world is often not understood. Many things in this world are different and we must learn to deal with otherness. It is better when everything is "normal" - but, what is normal? Challenges in life and everything that is different is good - otherwise everything would be too normal and boring.
A family spent the vacation with their son - who suffers from Down syndrome - on a farm. During their stay, Filou, an adorable bull was born. He was bottle-fed by the farmer, and the family was able to be there. At some point, they learned that Filou, like many bulls, was to be transported to a fattening pen. The family, especially the son, wanted to save the little calf from this fate.
The lot of the bull calves
During the tours, I always notice that many people don't even know that a cow, in order to give milk, needs a calf. Once a year, a dairy cow gives birth to a calf and for this reason she is artificially inseminated. This creates a surplus of calves, especially male ones. Female calves sooner or later become dairy cows themselves, and their brothers are considered waste products in the dairy industry. To save costs, bull calves are given to fattening farms, sometimes exported to foreign fattening farms.
Thousands of calves are transported to Spain, Italy or even Poland every year because slaughtering is cheaper there. Thousands of bull calves are also transported to third countries such as Turkey, Algeria, Morocco, etc.. A martyrdom lasting for days, until the death journey has an end in some slaughterhouse. On the journey, there is too little food, water, space and daylight.
Filou and his human friend
Filou is just five months old and was lucky that he was not beef cattle as a beef cattle. He is one of many calves that were spared an unnatural life? The end consumer has a say in how the living conditions for dairy cows and their calves can be improved in the long term: - reduce meat consumption, - replace milk and dairy products with oat products, for example, eat vegan chocolate. Or: buy regional products from organic farmers. Have the courage, and ask for plant-based milk in the coffee house.
Animals and people can be different. On the farms of Gut Aiderbichl live many blind animals, those that limp, animals that have traumatic life stories, such as our ex-lab monkeys. Animals that have been left in the barn, without water and without food - like our Susi from the pig farm. Disrespectful behavior towards animals is not far from disrespectful behavior towards our fellow human beings.
Filou has a best friend - who is affected by a disease. When he heard about the fate of Filou, there was probably sadness and he and his family wanted to help the little calf.
Filou has reached the heart of a young person. That counts and that touches especially. A little bull calf with big googly eyes and long eyelashes owes his happy life at the Moosfeldhof of Gut Aiderbichl to a young person who perhaps sees the world differently. But there is a feeling and respect for the living being. For that we say thank you.
Sincerely, your Gisela.
