Austria
As Katharina and Reinhard Bauer show off cosseted turkey chicks they highlight standards that they and the Austrian government — would like the rest of the EU to adopt as well. “On our farm the birds have lots of space,” Katharina explains on the organic farm the pair run together in Weibern, northern Austria.
They stress how delicate the business of raising turkey chicks is given their fragile state immediately after hatching. According to Reinhard they’re “very sensitive, curious and affectionate”.
The couple says the birds, brought to Europe from the Americas by Spanish colonists in the 16th Century, must be raised in an environment as close to nature as possible to be fit for Christmas tables.
It’s a view shared by the Austrian government, which is aiming to get EU partners on board in raising standards for turkey farming across the bloc.—APP
