The province of North Brabant is urgently investigating whether it was a wolf that killed an adult cow earlier this week. The animal was found on Monday in a meadow between Someren and Heeze. The cow was pregnant when she was bitten to death. “It would be the first time that a wolf kills an adult cow,” says research agency Bij12. The province now wants clarity as soon as possible.
According to Bij12, who collected the DNA material, this research is now urgent because it would be exceptional if a wolf attacks an adult cow. “A wolf was killed in France at the time because he was hunting cows. The government found this so alarming that permission was given to kill the animal,” a Bij12 spokesperson said.
Results in a week
Without this urgent order from the province, the results would have taken at least a month. “Now the results are expected next Friday at the latest. What happens if it becomes clear that a wolf is responsible for the dead cow is still unclear.
The slain cow was in a pasture with four other cows. They were all dairy cows that were pregnant. “They are allowed to relax in the meadow for the last six weeks before they start calves,” the affected farmer said earlier. “The cow killed was the slowest of the four, a bit older but not the oldest,” he said.
easy prey
The wolf hotline does not want to speculate too much about the wolf. According to spokesperson Glenn Lelieveld, a wolf would only attack a weakened cow because the wolf prefers to choose easy prey to preserve its body.
The vet who examined the cow and also Bij12 are convinced that it must have been a wolf or else a dog, which is responsible for the fatal injuries of the cow. “They are bite wounds. The difference between dog bites or bite wounds by a wolf is difficult to see with the naked eye,” explains the Bij12 spokesperson.