Gut Aiderbichl rescues Galloways from an aircraft hangar

From the perspective of an Aiderbichler

(written by Gisela Pschenitschnig)

Veterinary offices, animal welfare organisations and animal rescuers are used to getting animals out of abnormal living situations. The following story about a Galloway herd shows us that there is always an increase in animal suffering.

For years, a Galloway breeder had been advised by the veterinary office to minimise his herd from 76 to 38 animals. The keeping of the Galloways was more than questionable – let’s say unworthy of the animals, and appalling for the proud, peaceful balls of wool that originate from Scotland.

The Galloways are one of the oldest breedsof cattlein the world. Galloways are kept for their excellent meat quality and for landscape conservation. The cattle are particularly hardy thanks to their double-layered coat and thick skin. A cold winter cannot harm them. Galloways are naturally hornless and have very natural instincts. They are stubborn towards humans, but also friendly.

The story of the rescued Galloways shows the strange and agonising paths animals have to take before they can finally come to rest. Christian Kögl, estate manager of Gut Aiderbichl’s Moosfeldhof, told me about the dramatic time the Galloways went through until they found a happy ending at Moosfeldhof.

The keeping of the Galloways was catastrophic

The order to halve the livestock was based on missing ear tags, inadequate feeding of the cattle, allegedly decomposed animal carcasses lying among the live animals, the animals repeatedly escaping from their stalls … the list of shortcomings is almost endless.

The confiscation by the veterinary office was a done deal. During the “clearance operation”, 60 cattle were able to escape and lived in freedom until last December. Everything possible was done to recapture the Galloways. However, the animals were always faster than the people or the helicopter above them.

The herd had split into subgroups, and the beautiful Galloways roamed for kilometres across the land. Restricted zones were created so that the cattle could rest. The long, arduous journey for the Galloways finally came to an end. The Galloways were caught and sold.

For 18 Galloways, the odyssey should not be over yet

We were informed that a group of 18 Galloways had been sold to a man who purchased the animals under a false name. The invoice could not be delivered and the animals could not be found.

Weeks later, the veterinary office received a tip-off that animals were probably being kept in an empty aircraft hangar. The inspection revealed that the animals were 17 adult Galloways and two calves aged two to three months that had been born in the hangar. The ear tags confirmed that the Galloways belonged to the escaped cattle. One was missing, and that was the breeding bull.For the second time, the Galloways were confiscated and have now found a forever home at Moosfeldhof, a farm outside Gut Aiderbichl in Germany.

Gut Aiderbichl awaits the birth of Galloway calves

In the seize Galloway-group are still in foal, and we are looking forwardto the offspring.

Christian Kögl, estate manager at Moosfeldhof, loves and cares for his animals in a way that couldn’t be better. “The Galloways have been on an odyssey. It’s unbelievable what humans are capable of.
It was pitch black in the large hall, you could hardly recognise the cattle. Unbelievable. Let’s be glad that the group feels so comfortable and look forward to the offspring!”.

Sometimes people say how cruel nature is when animal mums leave or reject their young in the grass because they are not healthy, or they themselves do not have enough milk to feed their young.

On the other hand, how cruel are some people that such tortures are allowed to happen at all, such as those experienced by the Galloways from Moosfeldhof.