Poland | Swietokrzyskie | Monthly report August: Farm Animal Service

This year, our Farm Animal Service (FAS) team has been forced to pause their work for several months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since July our team is out in the field again. However, many animals did not receive any trimming during our absence. Therefore, our farriers currently receive many calls from farmers asking for help.

Our first visit this month is on a farm in Pokrzywianka. A cow urgently needs help. Her claws are overgrown and one of her horns is too long. The farm is not part of our ATET programme. Nevertheless, we decide to help the suffering animal because her owners are in a precarious situation. The farmer is paralysed and currently in hospital. His wife had to sell all the animals during his absence. The cow is the last animal that they have left. Our team trims the claws of the cow and shorten her horn to prevent suffering in the future. 

Next, our team drives to Nowy Jawor. During our absence, the owner built a kennel for one of his dogs. As a reward for his commitment we trim the hooves of his horse. On another farm in Siekierno, the owner also built a kennel for his dogs. We are happy to see these improvements and offer our free trimming service for his horse as a reward to him as well. Even though the horse is young, he picks up his legs easily and the trimming goes quickly.

Later, we visit two farms in Wola Zamkowa. At the first place, we are informed that the owner sold a cow and that he is not planning to buy another one. Therefore, there is no need to re-build the door to the barn which we asked him to do a while ago. On a neighbouring farm, the owner he has paved the area between stable and barn. Finally, it will no longer be muddy in this area. As a reward we are trimming the hooves of his horse.

Next, our FAS team is called to help a limping cow in Debniak. Usually, the owner trims her claws with the help of his sons. However, this time they were not able to handle the cow on their own and decided to call our experienced farriers. We trim her overgrown claws and finally the cow can walk again without being in pain.

Our last visit this month is in Witoslawice. There we are meeting a farmer who is interested in joining our ATET programme. We are happy that he decides to sign the contract. Now he belongs to a community of engaged farmers who are committed to improving the welfare of their animals. Since we do not see any serious animal welfare neglections, we trim the hooves of his two stallions.

In August, our team visited 21 farms (some several times) in total. We trimmed the hooves of 17 horses, and the claws of three cows. Additionally, we shortened a long horn of a cow. Moreover, we provided two farms with an electric fence and welcomed one new farm to our  ATET programme.