The cow's day of honour
8 July 2023
From the perspective of an Aiderbichler
(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)
On average,an Austrian consumes 12 kg of beef and around 115 kg of dairy products every year. Austria’s dairy cows produce up to 1.1 billion litres of milk per year. These quantities are only possible thanks to a highlyefficient agricultural industry. Small farms are disappearing and large agricultural companies are taking their place. Every dairy cow has to give birth to a calf every year in order to continue producing milk. The female calves are then usually returned to milk production – the males, on the other hand, are of no use in this system.
Amadeus and Resi
over 700 kilometres lay between the two calves
Every life has its value. – Amadeus was born in an eastern province of Austria. He has a genetic defect and is small in stature. The herd of cows did not want to accept Amadeus and before they started to attack him, Amadeus lived alone. The farmer recalled a visit to Gut Aiderbichl in her childhood. Here she had learnt that animals with a handicap also have a right to life, and so Amadeus came to Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf because of a childhood memory.
Resi comes from the westernmost province of Austria and is also small in stature. Resi’s friends were four adult cows that came to the alpine pasture last summer. Little Resi probably wouldn’t have survived life on the mountain pasture, but she couldn’t stay on the farm alone either. Slaughter was out of the question.
Amadeus and Resi were born in April 2022, Resi is nine days older than Amadeus. They have the same handicap and it was intended that they would be brought to Gut Aiderbichl on the same day. The Aiderbichl employee drove over 700 kilometres and said: “Just imagine. The two have the same handicap, are almost the same age, live so far apart and are now going to live in the same stable. How nice is that?”. A wonderful coincidence or something more?
The cow has character
and forgets nothing
What the cow never forgets: Bad experiences, hurt itgets in a van, will shebe reluctant to enter the next one, each cow would recognise her calf (if they were separated, survived and eventually meet again).
The famous bandit from Gut Aiderbichlrecognises Christian, who years ago freed him from the bindingrelief, recognises him by his voice. The former dairy cow Sarah loves to lick my shoes – for whatever reason, she’s been doing it for years.
When I called out “Lilliput” years ago, a small bovine with a huge horn and an artificial anus came towards me. Then there was always free hand peeling from Lilliput’s rough tongue. Until a few years ago, when old Stilla walked across the courtyard, and heard her name, she stopped because she knew: Now it’s time for some cuddles and a treat.
Controlled consumer behaviour
Every lorry labelled “Live animal transport” plays a sad film: stressed animals full of fear wait for the final destination in their sometimes very young lives.
Perhaps the consumer should consider how much animal sufferingis behind a litre of milk? And why animal sufferingis behind it?
I hope that youcan really see the cow’s day of honour as a day of honourand find two minutes, to think about this special day.
Sincerely,
Your Gisela.
The purest form of madness is to leave everything as it is and at the same time hope that something will change.
~ Albert Einstein
