Beaver plague in Ostallgäu: This is how farmers fight against the rodent!

Beaver plague in Ostallgäu: This is how farmers fight against the rodent!

In the idyllic surroundings of the Eastern Allgäu, beavers have brought colorful challenges for many farmers in recent years. Known as prodigious swimmers and divers, these amusing aquatic rodents are not only masters at building their own dams and homes, but also cause significant damage to farmers' fields. How to deal with these lovable, but often annoying, creatures is now being taught at the Kaufbeuren Agricultural School.

Beavers, which are best known for their impressive building skills out of branches, twigs and mud, are under strict protection in Bavaria. This doesn't make the situation any easier for affected farmers, as the Allgäuer Zeitung reports. It explains that the Kaufbeuren Agricultural School offers a master class in which future farmers learn how to deal with the challenges that beavers bring with them. An expert at Lake Elbsee shows participants the best practices in dealing with these protected animals.

Practical insights for young farmers

The training not only teaches how to deal with beavers, but the students also gain valuable insights into practical farming. 14 students from the agricultural school recently visited Alpe Bäch in the Pöllattal under the direction of Claudia Schatz. The focus here was on the pastures that need to be preserved, while the students gained practical experience in the everyday life of a shepherdess. In bright sunshine during snack time, the advantages and challenges of raising cattle could be discussed.

But that wasn't all! A grassland summer semester school day also took place in collaboration with the Southern Bavaria Producers' Ring. Topics such as stock composition, fertilization strategies and the optimal care of the meadows were discussed intensively. The students also learned how important good feed quality is for their animals and what can be done to avoid crop failures.

Insight into the challenges of agriculture

Curiosity was also evident in the exchange between students from the Jakob-Brucker-Gymnasium and the students from the Kaufbeuren Agricultural School. Exciting discussions about living conditions and the workload of young farmers were on the agenda. Long working hours and bureaucratic hurdles were perceived as stressful, while many positive aspects were highlighted. The good feeling of being able to work with animals and in nature was not neglected.

There was also good news for the 21 students at the agricultural school who successfully completed their first semester. A ceremony with head of authority Paul Dosch and school principal Benedikt Kuhn honored the students' commitment and the challenges they have already overcome on their training path.

Aside from agriculture, there is another Biber that everything revolves around, namely Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, a Czech-Austrian composer of the 17th century. He is considered one of the greatest violin composers of his time and revolutionized playing the instrument. His works are still widely read and performed today, even though he gave very few concerts. Biber's music, characterized by highly technical virtuosity and imaginative scordatura, still has a special place in the music world today.

Beavers or not, the challenges that the animals bring to farmers in Ostallgäu require completely new approaches to solutions and extensive training. The Kaufbeuren Agricultural School does valuable work to give tomorrow's farmers a good hand in dealing with nature and the creatures that deserve protection.