Pigsty:

“Such injuries are not normal”

Interview with Simone Schmiedtbauer, State Councillor for Agriculture

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Provincial Councillor Simone Schmiedtbauer (ÖVP) also heads the provincial veterinary office and is therefore responsible for abuses in Styrian pigsties. She explains her view of the situation to the "Krone" in an interview.

Agriculture and forestry, water, family, women: As a state councillor, you have a lot of agendas, including state veterinary affairs. How important is animal welfare to you?

A high one. When I eat meat, it's important for me to know where it comes from. I am therefore in favor of mandatory labeling wherever food is served, in every restaurant, every canteen. Diners can only make responsible decisions if they are informed. Winegrowers have already shown how this works, proudly presenting a top product that has its price, but which customers are prepared to pay. Unfortunately, this is not yet the case with animals.

What do you think about cheap meat in supermarkets and discount stores?

Customers have a choice. If they don't buy it, it won't be offered.

Wouldn't it be better to start with the suppliers? After all, what is not on offer cannot be bought, or is this too hot an issue that you would rather not touch?

It's up to the consumer, that's my point of view.

You know the disturbing pictures from a Styrian pigsty, and now there are new ones from a piglet farm. This is causing a stir among empathetic people. For you too? After all, you once ran a fattening farm with fully slatted floors on your farm.

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Farmers have a different attitude towards livestock. But we definitely want the animals to be well. Because if they're not, they won't perform, and if one is injured, I need a vet and there are costs involved.

Is that all you can think of about the pictures?

Anything can happen overnight, like the injuries you see in the photos. I'm also annoyed with the animal rights activists that they didn't call an official vet immediately. No farmer would stand by and watch.

That is the reality

And yet he has it in front of his eyes: ulcers, scratches and injuries don't all happen overnight. It is already clear that there will be no reports, are we now going back to business as usual? Do you really want to tell animal lovers: "Everything's fine, let's move on!"?

I say that's the reality. Fully slatted floors still exist, but such injuries are not normal. Farmers want to expand, invest, create more supply for the animals - but then consumers have to pay for it. I am also thinking about an animal welfare summit and want to create more incentives to build animal welfare stables. And start with the young, the future farm owners.

In the criticized pig farm in southern Styria, pigs were seen with their tails illegally cut off, according to allegations. The operator is alleged to have said that he was given them like this when they were piglets. Now he is being criticized again because, according to research by the VGT, he himself is said to be the manager of this piglet farm. Has the veterinary authority, over which you preside, investigated where the piglets come from? Did it take any measures?

There was an ad hoc inspection and a further comprehensive inspection is planned, where all aspects will be checked by several vets. I will also soon be inviting all official veterinarians to an exchange to discuss how we can react even better and faster, including in cases across districts. However, it is also important to me that Styrian farmers are the most important partners for greater animal welfare, not opponents! If there are abuses by individual black sheep, then we must react quickly and decisively.

ÖVP as a blocker for more animal welfare

Now you say that animal welfare is a high priority for you, yet it is precisely your party, the ÖVP, that repeatedly blocks measures for animal welfare. Even the mandatory chipping of all outdoor cats in the animal welfare amendment - a small thing, but one that would prevent a great deal of animal suffering. How can you support something like that?

Great Styrian animal welfare activists, like Andrea Huber here, are almost despairing over the flood of stray cats

(Bild: Jürgen Radspieler)

Because it's not necessary. Breeding cats are chipped anyway, and other outdoor cats have to be neutered. That works too.

With all due respect, that's completely unrealistic. The stray cat problem has never been more extreme than it is now, animal welfare activists are almost despairing. And you're actually saying that farmers also have all their cats neutered?

I keep hearing myths that neutered cats don't catch mice and that's why people refrain from neutering them. Some farmers certainly need a rethink here. I would also like to raise awareness among vets. And if animal rights activists notice abuses: My office is open to them.