Scandal about cattle farming: Farmer in Vogelsberg has to remove debt!

Scandal about cattle farming: Farmer in Vogelsberg has to remove debt!

A farmer in Vogelsbergkreis announced the preliminary end of his cattle farming after an administrative court in Gießen rejected his contestation of a ban on keeping. The dairy farm, which houses around 120 cattle, is criticized because he was accused of considerable defects in animal care over a longer period of time.

In 2023 there was a check that led to alarming results. The authorities commissioned with it found several calves in one stable, the soil of which was covered with mossy material about 50 centimeters deep. In a particularly worrying incident, two calves drank from puddles. The situation escalated when further controls at the beginning of 2024 could again no improvement. Some cows were heavily dirty, and there was a lack of food and fresh water. In addition, dry lying areas were not available for the animals, which led to a worrying risk.

physical stress and high mortality rate

The court found that the farmer had inflicted pain and suffering from the animals over a longer period of time. This led to illnesses and an atypically high mortality rate in the cattle, which was so alarming that the authorities became aware of the grievances as early as 2020. Despite several measures on the part of the farmer to improve the conditions, the situation remained unsatisfactory. The district had repeatedly found an inadequate supply of water and dry lying areas, and even compulsory money was imposed to move the farmer to improve.

effects on professional existence

This decision has serious consequences for the farmer concerned: he sees his professional existence threatened because his company is dependent on cattle preservation. However, this topic shows the urgent need to check the standards in animal husbandry and ensure that they are in accordance with animal welfare requirements. The farmer can file a complaint against this decision within two weeks of the Hessian Administrative Court in Kassel.

The tragedy of this situation illuminates the challenges that many animal owners are confronted with, especially when it comes to the balance between economic pressure and animal welfare requirements. The fact that despite all the measures did not meet the necessary standards, the question raises the question of the extent to which the existing infrastructure and control of animal husbandry is sufficient to guarantee the well -being of animals. This problem remains a sensitive topic in agriculture, which will probably also shape the next few years.