Maul and Claw Disease – Now weekly nose drills for thousands of animals

We still know it from Corona Times: with a long cotton swab “nasal drilling”, around the virus, it should be there.

We humans have now largely been saved, the dubious pleasure now has thousands of animals in Burgenland. In the surveillance zone, ie in the communities of the German Jahrndorf, Halbturn, Nickelsdorf and Manchhof, every week is drilled around in the noses and mouths of different sheep, goats, alpacas and other steal animals to be able to recognize and respond as early as possible.

Animals are really scared
“The sheep approaches no one anymore,” shakes his head in Jahrndorf, Germany, an animal owner who only has his cattle at home. If the vet comes, he should help catch his animals. So that the vet of his office can act. “I can’t go every time the vet says. My sheep are in the meadow,” the man responds logically. Even the idea of ​​slaughtering the animals emerged. Although that would be rather counterproductive, it is possible to prevent this from the various measures on the border.

Because, as already often mentioned: if an animal has the plague, the entire inventory is ready. Plus all other claw animals within a radius of three kilometers.

Drama for farmers
That would be a drama for Michael and Tobias Griemann. The family has more than 500 Angus -Vee. A herd that has grown for more than 32 years that has been inserted in the Hanság and provides the typical image in the Neusiedler See – Seewinkel National Park. It is not for nothing that there are still herds of cattle in the Hanság and in the Seewinkel in Illmitz and Apetlon. Here the cattle economy has a long tradition because the animals retain a unique, species -rich steppe landscape.

Visit from the vet
On Friday, the Griemanns and their herd of cattle were first visited by the vet. The sampling was due. Premiere for veterinary, farmers and cattle. 58 animals were sampled – you were ready within an hour. But only because everything was well prepared. Part of the herd was separated into an extra set. Because the cattle is usually free, only limited by a meadow hood. The animals were then driven into a catch of helpers. If they wanted to at the front, it went – Zack – their owner closed two goals and only looked out. The cattle could not go ahead or back, but the neck and head of the heavy animals remained very agile – and some “muh” was not very enthusiastic that a stranger stuck her with a strange stick in the nose and mouth.

Heavy work for farmers and veterinary and rather nerve -racking for animals. But as soon as the uncomfortable was over and they were free, the nose was back in the fresh grass and you heard and chewed and chewed. “Of course we are afraid of our existence,” explains Michael Griemann. “And we would want more epidemics. The costs are not much, but are effective. Unfortunately they are only ter limits.”

And what is the procedure now? The rehearsals taken came to the laboratory on the same day. Within 48 hours there should be a hopefully negative result in all animals. Because here is negative, certainly positive. The vet was not entirely certain whether the owners of pets are informed if everything is in order.

But let’s stay positive and hope there is no negative message. Confusing? Yes a bit.

An animal sick, all dead
Next week the Griemanns will again receive a visit from the vet. Because the second herd of the family, which grazes elsewhere, is being tested. If there was no positive case on Friday. Then all animals are killed. And not only the herd of the Griemanns would be agreed. A nearby company with hundreds of sheep would also be sentenced to death. Because the law states that all claw animals within a radius of three kilometers, where a positive MKS case took place, must be killed.

So for many cattle, sheep, pigs, alpacas and goats and their owners-national and private, to hope that Burgenland will remain MKS-free and it is not necessary to kill.