The herd had been there for years, causing indignation and excitement among residents. In Saint-Jean-de-Boiseau, a few kilometers west of Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), abandoned cattle were the subject of a slaughter operation. On Wednesday, 35 cows and bulls were killed by a wolf scout, at the request of the municipality. A choice which also aroused the excitement of part of the population, forcing the town hall to react.
In a press release, the municipality explains that it had no other choice. “No realistic solution could be implemented,” assures the town hall. Because “the cows concerned, having evolved in the wild and without identification, present health and behavioral risks which prevent them from being reintegrated into a food circuit”. But also because the configuration of the marshes in which they lived did not allow them to be rescued.
On November 6, all of the cattle were therefore slaughtered “to guarantee animal well-being”, argues the commune of Saint-Jean-de-Boiseau. A reasoning which may seem strange but which “made it possible to avoid the extreme living conditions which the herd would have faced this winter”. In 2023, residents posted photos showing cows stuck in mud. “Such a situation must not happen again,” assures the community in its press release.
The breeder refuses to explain
As for the breeder who abandoned his herd, he was quickly identified. But the latter never wanted to get his animals back. “Legal proceedings have been initiated against the agriculture responsible for this situation,” assures the municipality.
Our colleagues from Ocean Press tried to question him but received only silence and anger. “I don’t want to tell my story, I want to be left alone,” the breeder repeated before asking the journalists to leave. According to Ocean Pressman would have reconverted to the production of fruits and vegetables.
