Fierce disgusting operation

Bulls broke through slatted floor into manure channel

The 750 kilogram animals were stuck in the slurry channel.(Bild: FF Altpölla)

Three 750-kilogram bulls broke through a defective slatted floor in Altpölla in the district of Zwettl (Lower Austria) and fell 1.7 meters deep into a canal full of liquid manure. The alerted firefighters rushed to the rescue and saved the animals from dying of slurry.

The owners of the bulls involved in the accident immediately took initial rescue measures, opened the drain of the canal and alerted the head of the fire department, Karl Kainrath. He arrived with eight firefighters who had experience with large animals.

The rescue turned out to be extremely difficult: "The slurry channel under the slit floor is around 1.7 meters deep and filled with faeces about half a meter high. The three animals were stuck there and had to be rescued. Each of the animals weighed around 750 kilos," explains Kainrath.

Animals rescued unharmed
Wearing heavy breathing protection and waders, the Florianis fought their way through to the animals, secured by leashes. Two of the bulls were rescued unharmed from the pit using harnesses and teleloaders. "They knew that we only wanted to help them and went along with it," says Kainrath in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper.

Secured with a line and wearing heavy breathing protection, the Florianis climbed up to the terrified bull.(Bild: FF Altpölla)

"Maxl" remained brave
"Maxl", the third bull, was already severely dazed by the sewage gases - he entrenched himself in the last corner of the slurry channel and collapsed due to the slurry gases. "After it was no longer possible to rescue him by walking back to the collapse site, we had to free up two stalls in the barn and relocate the cattle. We were then able to open the slatted floor above the bull to get him out," said the fire department commander. The terrified animal was then freed from its "prison" using two telehandlers and the chain hoist. Maxl" was also unharmed in the accident and could be handed over to his owners unharmed.

Operation pushed to the limits
Wading through the slurry with heavy breathing protection demanded a great deal of physical fitness from the rescuers. The danger of the slurry gases, which can lead to fainting and suffocation, was just as real as the disgusting, acrid smell. "After the operation, we all had the same bad smell," Kainrath, who is also deputy district commander in Zwettl, was later able to joke about the operation, which pushed him to his limits.

Immediately after the animal rescue, the helpers were hosed down with cold water from the high-pressure jet pipe to at least remove the worst traces and odors. The fire department can no longer clean the breathing apparatus itself. "They are taken to Tulln for thorough cleaning," says Kainrath.