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CATTLE

Rampaging bull kills Swiss farmer

A 71-year-old farmer was attacked and killed by a bull on Thursday night in the canton of Saint Gallen.

The tragedy occurred as the man led his cows and two bulls from the barn of his farm in the Bichwil-Oberwil region, cantonal police said.

The older of the two bulls, three and a half years old and weighing 900 pounds, wandered behind the barn.

When the farmer tried to round him up the bull attacked him.

A neighbouring farmer came to the aid of the fallen man before medical attendants from the air rescue service arrived at the scene by helicopter.

Despite resuscitation attempts by rescue personnel the man could not be saved, police said.

A hunter meanwhile shot the bull.

German-language newspaper Blick has posted a video on its website showing the dead animal being carted away in a trailer pulled by a tractor.

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SHIP

Cattle on stranded ship should be killed, Spanish vet report says

More than 850 cows that were stranded aboard a ship in the Mediterranean for months are not fit for transport, a confidential report by Spanish government veterinarians said, according to Reuters.

Cattle on stranded ship should be killed, Spanish vet report says
The ship had struggled to find buyers for the cattle after it was rejected from Turkey. Illustration photo: Miguel Riopa/AFP

The ship carrying the cattle, called Karim Allah, had struggled to find a buyer for the cattle for the past two months. It finally docked in the southeastern Spanish port of Cartagena on Thursday.

Several countries rejected the animals for fear they had bovine bluetongue virus, which causes lameness and haemorrhaging among cattle, but does not affect humans.

The veterinarians’ report, seen by Reuters, said the animals had suffered from the journey, and were unwell and not fit for transport outside the EU. 

It did not say if the cattle had bluetongue disease, but recommended euthanasia as the best solution for their health and welfare.

The cattle likely have severe health problems after their “hellish” crossing, animal rights activist Silvia Barquero, director of the Igualdad Animal NGO, told Reuters.

The NGO is calling for Spain to end the transport of animals outside the EU.

 

The Agriculture Ministry told Reuters it will make appropriate decisions after analysing information from the inspection.

The ship left Cartagena to deliver the cattle to Turkey, but authorities there blocked the shipment fearing bluetongue infection.

This led to several other countries refusing entry even to replenish animal feed, forcing the cows to go several days with just water.

The Agriculture Ministry’s experts said 864 animals were alive on board. Twenty-two cows died at sea, with two corpses still aboard. The remains of others were chopped up and thrown overboard during the journey, the report said.

Ownership of the cattle is unclear.

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