Since 1992, the use of HCB has been prohibited in Austria, not least because of its strong carcinogenic effects. Unborn children and infants are considered particularly vulnerable to HCB ingestion, as its highly lipophilic properties lead to its accumulation in oils and fats. In individual organisms, it also accumulates in their fatty tissues. The half-life of HCB in the environment is approximately 6-7 years, depending on various external factors. Regarding the behavior of HCB when ingested by farm animals, specifically cattle, the naturally fluctuating metabolic states of these animals must be taken into account in any risk assessment. For example, during anabolic metabolic states (e.g., cows: low milk production, dry period), high amounts of ingested HCB are stored in the organism's fatty tissue. When a catabolic metabolic state occurs (e.g., in cows from the beginning of lactation), stored body fat is broken down (=consumed), releasing HCB, which is then excreted in large quantities with the milk. In the case of suckler cow husbandry, the lactating calf acts as a kind of "biofilter," becoming contaminated by ingesting HCB-contaminated milk, but the animal no longer excretes this HCB. The meat and fat of this animal thus remain contaminated for a very long time, possibly for its entire life. This is how HCB contamination of the agricultural products meat and milk occurs after cattle consume HCB-contaminated feed. It can be assumed that approximately 10 tons of HCB (estimate) were released into the environment in the Görtschitz Valley as a result of incomplete combustion and thus found their way into the region as emissions, including into the animals' feed.
Project goals:
A very large quantity of feed (hay, silage) contaminated with HCB must be removed from farms or replaced with uncontaminated purchased feed. In addition to the logistical solution to this issue (according to Dr. Hofer/TGD, this involves more than 5,000 tons of feed that need to be replaced), all this feed must be assessed, and farmers must be provided with support so that they receive comparable replacement feed in terms of both quantity and quality, or, in cases of inferior quality, are reimbursed for the difference. However, this requires standardizing the assessment process and training farmers and advisors on the procedures for evaluating this feed. Dr. Buchgraber will undertake this task (see the attached document "Action Plan Görtschitztal Buchgraber" for details).
Since it is unclear how long HCB will actually persist in soils, in future (harvests 2015, 2016,...) feedstuffs, and in the meat and milk of the animals fed with them, in addition to the routine sampling of bulk milk samples and slaughtered animals that is already taking place, defined farms will be subjected to more intensive investigations.
By adhering to the sampling protocol, we should obtain answers to the questions of whether and how cows' HCB excretion changes with respect to their stage of lactation, how long HCB is excreted, and what the excretion level is at a defined HCB concentration. Contamination of manure and slurry, and consequently the soil and feed, must also be clarified and subsequently assessed for risk management purposes.
With the measures presented, we can help to resolve the HCB problem in the Görtschitztal valley as quickly as possible and offer the affected Carinthian farmers renewed prospects.
Detailed description of services for the planned project:
A corresponding sampling plan was developed, taking into account dairy farming, suckler cow farming, sheep farming and wild animals.
Regarding dairy cows: the focus here is clearly on milk, and as is now known, a cow's milk fat content is not constant (difference between the first and last milking, etc.). Since a high correlation between milk fat content and HCB levels can be expected, only precise, representative sampling will help us, and this can only be guaranteed with a milk yield meter. Therefore, we propose that sampling on dairy farms be carried out simultaneously with the LKV (Livestock Performance Testing Association) investigations. The approximately 40-day interval of the LKV sampling would also provide a good picture if the investigations were continued for a year, or at least until no positive results are found in three consecutive sampling dates (at the farm level). Blood samples are also useful: centrifuged serum for a blood chemistry analysis for at least FFS (free fatty acids), BHB (hydroxychloroquine), and liver enzymes (possibly a full analysis, which wouldn't be much more expensive), as well as a blood sample for HCB content.
Three dairy farms should be included in these investigations, with three dry cows, three cows within the first 60 days of lactation, three cows between 61 and 180 days of lactation (DIM), and three cows in late lactation (longer than 180 DIM) from each farm. Excess milk from the milk meter could be used for HCB determination as part of the LKV (Livestock Performance Testing Association) sampling. Two farms should be Simmental (Fleckvieh) farms, and the third should be either Bavarian Warmblood (BV) or Heiferous (HF). The same 12 cows from each farm would be sampled on the sampling dates (LKV inspection), and environmental samples (feed, manure, etc.) would also be taken on the same day (see detailed sampling plan).
Regarding suckler cows: Milk samples are not required here, as slaughter animals are routinely sampled anyway, so only environmental samples are needed, as already listed in the sampling plan for dairy cows. Three suckler cow farms should be sampled, with the same 40-day interval.
Sheep farms: At least one sheep farm should also be included in these investigations, with sampling as in suckler cow husbandry.
Prospects for success:
The chances of success depend crucially on the financing of the analyses and thus on the full implementation of the project. Only through this intensive sampling for HCB can the kinetics and cycle of HCB within a farm (contamination of feed-animal products or feces and subsequently manure/slurry-soil-feed-...) be identified and potential risks during remediation be assessed.
Significance of the project (for agriculture/forestry/water management/environment/other areas):
Resolving the HCB problem is of paramount importance, not only for the affected farmers in the Görtschitztal valley (360 farms) and for regional production. The supra-regional Austrian milk and meat production has also already experienced real problems as a consequence of this HCB issue, and there have been/are still negative effects on these markets in Austria (sales problems, etc.). The HCB problem has also had negative repercussions in other sectors, such as Austrian tourism, where a healthy environment in Austria/Carinthia is emphasized and promoted ("Holidays with friends," "Farm holidays," "Traditional Austrian snacks at the farm," etc.). It is of fundamental importance for Austria that the remediation of the HCB problem in the Görtschitztal valley is implemented in a technically sound manner, without any risk, in accordance with crisis management principles and therefore not dictated by cost-cutting measures. Errors (the BMG decree cited above), but also negligent handling of this HCB remediation (e.g., inadequate disposal of "yellow" animal feed) could become an uncontrollable problem in the future and cause a major disaster for domestic agriculture.
