Turkey | Border Kapikule | Animal transports | Day 6
All day, animal transporters from Europe are entering into Turkey. We observe animals coming from Lithuania, Estonia, Hungary, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. We are able to inspect 24 trucks but many more pass by. The outside temperature is 38°C.
One truck with pregnant heifers from the Czech Republic that we first saw on the 24th of June is still there. One of the cows has given birth. The drivers do their best to take care of the calf, but there is a high risk that the new-born will be trampled by the other animals on board.
In the afternoon we inspect a truck with German heifers on board. One of them is in the process of giving birth, but the calf is stuck. Two hours later, the drivers decide to assist the cow to deliver the calf. Very carefully they try to pull it out. As this is not working, other men come to 'help' and start pulling on a rope that is tied around the legs of the calf, without success. Finally, a veterinarian is called, who finds that the calf is dead and in order to save the mother, a caesarean would be necessary. After the surgery, he states that the cow has serious internal injuries from all the rough pulling by the men earlier. He says that she would not survive and the best would be to kill her. The Turkish importer wants to save the meat and decides that she be slaughtered. A butcher is called to perform Halal slaughter on the truck. We try to prevent the cow from being loaded in this condition, but in vain. She collapses on the ramp and the butcher cuts her throat while fully conscious. The cow rattles and struggles for five long minutes before dying.
