After an anonymous tip, police officers discovered around 150 dead cattle on a farm near Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
The farmer is now being investigated.
Update from May 26th, 1:46 p.m.:
After around 150 dead cattle were found on a farm in Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Central Franconia on the weekend of Pentecost (see first report), the remaining 50 animals have now also died.
Police spokesman Michael Petzold said: “Some of them were in such bad shape that they were put to sleep.
They had to be delivered quickly from their suffering ”.
The remaining cattle were emergency slaughtered, the spokesman said.
Furthermore, there were no indications that a technical defect in the barn had led to the animals being insufficiently supplied with water and food, according to Petzold.
"This supports the suspicion that he (the farmer) did not look after the animals for a longer period of time." The reasons for this are still unclear.
The investigation continues.
After the death of 150 cattle, the SPD calls for stricter controls
Update from May 25, 4:37 p.m.:
About 150 cattle died in agony in the stable of a fattening farm near Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
The police suspect the farmer of not having properly looked after the animals (see first report).
"We are assuming that the animals were not looked after for a longer period of time," said Michael Petzold from the Central Franconia Police Headquarters in Nuremberg on Tuesday.
"The fact is that the animals were extremely neglected."
The police are investigating the farmer.
In view of this new case, the SPD parliamentary group in the Bavarian state parliament calls for better and more targeted controls to prevent such abuses in animal husbandry.
"This proves that the state government still does not control well enough, although a scandal of this magnitude now occurs every year," said the agricultural policy spokeswoman Ruth Müller.
150 dead cattle discovered on farm in Bavaria - "We now need comprehensive clarification"
Bavaria's consumer protection minister Thorsten Glauber (Free Voters) said that animal welfare violations are unacceptable and must have consequences. "It now needs comprehensive clarification by the investigative authorities." According to a spokesman, the ministry has requested a report from the local authorities, which are responsible for the controls but also the sanctions.
In this case, these are the district office and the veterinary office in Ansbach. The affected company was checked for the last time in 2017 and 2018. That said the spokeswoman for the district office, Josephine Georgi. No animal welfare violations were found, the barn was in good condition and there was enough feed. There are no legal requirements as to the intervals at which livestock farms have to be checked, explained the spokeswoman. These are carried out on an occasion and risk-related basis. The veterinary office could not provide a fixed cycle - for example annually.
Just last year, video recordings of abused cows shocked many people in Bavaria.
The recordings triggered the so-called Allgäu animal protection scandal.
Among other things, you could see how cows are kicked and beaten or dragged through a stable with a tractor.
After an anonymous tip: Officials discover 150 dead cattle on a farm in Bavaria
Update from May 25, 12:37 p.m.:
On Pentecost Sunday, officials discovered around 150 dead cattle on a farm near Rothenburg ob der Tauber after an anonymous
tip
.
Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner reacted in horror to the death of the animals.
"I am stunned that something like this can happen," she said (see first report).
Michael Petzold from Police Headquarters Middle Franconia said on Tuesday: “We assume that the animals have not been cared for for a longer period of time (...).
The fact is that the animals were extremely neglected. ”The background is still unclear.
The farmer is now being investigated for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
150 dead cattle on the farm near Rothenburg (Bavaria): a terrifying sight for the police
The police received an anonymous tip on Sunday and checked the farm.
In the barn, the respirators were faced with a terrifying sight: among the many dead cattle there were also around 50 live cattle.
You are now trying to nurse them back up, Petzold continued.
But the animals are in a desperate condition.
It is therefore not ruled out that more will die.
It was initially unclear why the misery of the cattle was only now known.
The fattening farm is located in a sparsely populated region with a strong rural character.
The investigators now want to clarify why and how long the cattle have been neglected.
They also work together with the public prosecutor's office, the responsible district office in Ansbach and the veterinary office.
According to the district office, employees from the veterinary office were still in the yard on Tuesday.
After an anonymous tip: Officials discover 150 dead cattle on farm in Bavaria - "I'm stunned"
First report from May 25, 11:56 a.m .:
Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Federal
Minister of
Agriculture Julia Klöckner (CDU) reacted in horror to the death of around 150 cattle in a fattening farm in Middle Franconia.
"I am stunned that something like this can happen," she said on Tuesday.
"The process must be fully clarified and a ban on keeping animals must be issued."
150 dead cattle on farm near Rothenburg (Bavaria): Police are investigating the farmer
The police * are investigating a farmer in the area around Rothenburg ob der Tauber for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
Officials had discovered the dead cattle after an anonymous tip on Sunday in the yard.
The investigators currently assume that the man has not looked after the cattle for a long period of time.
50 animals from the farm are still alive and should now be nursed up.
(came) * Merkur.de / bayern is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA
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