the Horn or Horn? The Swiss Bauer Armin Capaul has forced more than 100,000 signatures for a referendum: He is fighting for farmers, young calves and goats with a hot combustion, the horn wand to burn away plants, even if under anesthesia and with pain meds. On Sunday, the Swiss will vote on his Hornkuh Initiative.

The 67-year-old Capaul could be got out of the hat with his beard, plaid shirt and knit straight for a Heidi movie. He is a Swiss mountain farmer with a farm in the Canton of Bern. “I’ve heard many a calf, the pain screaming,” he says.

agriculture Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann disagrees: “I’ve seen Enthornungen as a Boy with my own eyes, and never under the impression had, that you suffer.”

security concerns

the importance of the horns for the mental balance of the cows is in a fight for years. “The Horn, the animals, Serenity, inner peace and security,” says Christian Vdcasino Müller from the research Institute of organic agriculture. Farmers and country women’s Association of fear, however, for the safety of the farmers and their families. Adult cows with sharp horns could be a deadly danger.

Horned cows on a pasture

in addition, horn cows need larger stables. “We fear that adoption of the Initiative, more cows are tethered in the stable. This would not serve the animals well,” says Patrizia Andina of the society of physicians of the Swiss Veterinary and animal doctors.

subsidies for farmed animals with horns

In Switzerland, only wear ten percent of the approximately 1.5 million head of cattle horns. In some breeds they were bred out of these completely.

In Germany, live well, twelve million head of cattle. How many of them have horns, don’t, know one says Björn börger man from the dairy industry Association. “Cattle are not stuffed animals, but large animals with a lot of strength from home,” he says. “It is therefore for the pet owner, regardless of the type of farming is quite an increased hazard potential in the work with horned animals.”

Capaul calls for a ban, because he saw no Chance in the voting urn. Rather, he calls for new subsidies for farmers, the goats, your animals in addition to cows, the horns – so for farmers like him. The government rejected the proposal due to financial reasons.

jme/dpa