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14. 05. 12. - 12:15

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14. 05. 12. - 12:15

Organic End

Michael Leidig

Farm animals destined for the slaughterhouse will be able to spend their last few days relaxing on an Alpine pasture before being killed as part of a project by an Austrian farmer.

Norbert Hackl, whose farm is also completely organic, said the only part of the lives of his animals that was still managed on an industrial scale was their deaths - and he wanted to change that with his organic slaughterhouse.

He wants to make the animals last few days as pleasurable as possible before leading them down into the valley to the slaughterhouse - rather than a long journey by road only to be killed at the end.

When finished it will mean animals including cows and pigs as well as sheep will be delivered to the Alpine pastures where they can spend their last few days enjoying the natural environment.

Hackl says he hopes to have the slaughterhouse in Burgau, Austria, finished by the end of next year.

He said: "My animals spend their entire lives roaming Alpine meadows – they have their young here and have a lot of opportunity to run around.

"At the end of their lives they are forced on to the wagon and driven often long distances to be killed. I want to show that it must be possible as well to be organic and more animal friendly in the way we go about this. At the moment the killing of the animals is the one part of their lives that is still produced on a factory farm like model – and it doesn't have to be like that. "

The project is being financed by supporters who are buying €1000 shares in the project which entitles them to €130 a year in farm produce from Hackl's award-winning farm.

Nutrition expert Sasha Walleczek and the cook Sarah Wiener are among those who are supporting the project.

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