On a farm on the Vreeweg in Nunspeet (Gelderland), about ninety pigs fell into a slurry pit on Saturday. A number of them have died, a spokesman for the security region said.
The fire brigade was alerted at the end of the afternoon and was busy freeing the animals until about 9 p.m.
It is not known what caused the pigs to fall into the slurry pit.
According to the organization Animal Rights, these types of accidents occur regularly, but they are not registered. The organization is pleading with the government to have these types of incidents registered.
Pigs drown in their own manure or choke on gases
Animal Rights argues that poor housing is often the cause of such accidents. “In the case of a stall, the floor sinks under the legs of the animals. This can happen if the floor is affected by the acids that are released from the faeces of the animals due to overdue maintenance.”
When the animals end up in the slurry pit, they can drown in their own manure or choke on the gases hanging above it, the organization said.
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