On the horns of a bovine dilemma

The Swiss truly appear to be on the horns of dilemma as the referendum this weekend on whether cows should be allowed to retain their pointed protuberances — described as the “dignity of livestock” — is said to be too close to call. The supporters’ contention that ‘horned cows are happy cows’ may be borne out by beaming be-horned bovines on some massmarket Swiss cheese labels, but in reality, this may be more a matter of perception.

While the ‘cow horn initiative’ wants the Swiss constitution to include subsidies for farmers who do not remove their cows’ horns, opponents aver that de-horning calves prevents injuries later. However, advocates of bovine rights have added a new angle by asserting it is a matter of the cows’ self-esteem, an aspect that Switzerland with 1.6 million cows (one for every five humans) cannot ignore.

Admittedly, Europe is beset with many more important issues such as illegal immigration and climate change, but the considerable financial implications of a horn subsidy cannot be disregarded. It has been pointed out recently that Swiss bovines are inclined to be much fatter now too; this, coupled with large horns also means greater manoeuvring room for each cow and a resultant rise in space needs. As India has the world’s largest bovine population, will the Swiss vote outcome make us pause for the cows too?