{"id":130975,"date":"2022-03-26T15:44:50","date_gmt":"2022-03-26T15:44:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/la-mucca-ambasciatrice-della-svizzera\/"},"modified":"2025-04-10T12:33:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T12:33:15","slug":"cow-as-ambassador-of-switzerland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/cow-as-ambassador-of-switzerland\/","title":{"rendered":"The cow as ambassador of Switzerland"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1><span class=\"font-762333\">The cow as ambassador of Switzerland<\/span><\/h1>\n<h3><span class=\"font-762333\"><em><strong>The cow, is a symbol in Switzerland and can be found everywhere in different forms: in addition to seeing it grazing a bit &#8216;everywhere in the typical Swiss landscapes, we find it in stores in the form of souvenirs, in many paintings, in many advertisements, or in the form of toy &#8230;<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130889\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130889\" style=\"width: 840px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-130890 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kuhe-Schweiz-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Mucche al pascolo\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kuhe-Schweiz-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kuhe-Schweiz-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kuhe-Schweiz-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kuhe-Schweiz-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/kuhe-Schweiz.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130889\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Grazing cows<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"390\"><span class=\"font-377884\">In Switzerland, the cow is much more than just a farm animal \u2014 it is a true national symbol. You\u2019ll find it everywhere, set against the lush green and mountainous landscapes that define the Swiss imagination. But its presence extends far beyond the pastures: cows feature prominently in souvenirs, advertisements, toys, artworks, and home decorations found throughout Swiss shops and homes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"392\" data-end=\"605\"><span class=\"font-377884\">Currently, the country is home to about 1.4 million cattle, of which around 700,000 are dairy cows. The rest are calves, bulls, and steers, raised for various purposes. Most Swiss cattle belong to two main breeds:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"607\" data-end=\"837\">\n<li class=\"\" data-start=\"607\" data-end=\"707\">\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"609\" data-end=\"707\"><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>The Simmental Red Pied<\/strong> (about 46%), known for its hardiness and good yields in both milk and meat.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"\" data-start=\"708\" data-end=\"837\">\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"710\" data-end=\"837\"><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong>The Swiss Brown<\/strong> (Brown Alpine, about 41%), renowned for the quality of its milk, especially suitable for making alpine cheeses.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"839\" data-end=\"915\"><span class=\"font-377884\">Cattle breeds in Switzerland are classified based on their primary use into:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"917\" data-end=\"987\">\n<li class=\"\" data-start=\"917\" data-end=\"933\">\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"919\" data-end=\"933\"><span class=\"font-377884\">Dairy breeds<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"\" data-start=\"934\" data-end=\"949\">\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"936\" data-end=\"949\"><span class=\"font-377884\">Beef breeds<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"\" data-start=\"950\" data-end=\"987\">\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"952\" data-end=\"987\"><span class=\"font-377884\">Dual-purpose breeds (milk and meat)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"989\" data-end=\"1449\"><span class=\"font-377884\">The Swiss cow also holds a strong place in the country&#8217;s cultural and symbolic world. In 2018, the Swiss National Museum in Zurich held an entire exhibition entitled <em data-start=\"1155\" data-end=\"1170\">Beastly Swiss<\/em>, where the cow was presented as one of four animal ambassadors of national identity, alongside the Saint Bernard dog, the marmot, and the ibex. These animals embody the spirit of the Alps, rural life, resilience, and a deep connection to nature \u2014 all key parts of the Swiss DNA.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"1451\" data-end=\"1561\"><span class=\"font-377884\">In short, the cow is not just a tourist icon, but a true emblem of Swiss identity, culture, and rural economy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"62\"><span class=\"font-377884\">Swiss Cattle Breeds: A Heritage of Diversity and Tradition<\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"\" data-start=\"64\" data-end=\"478\"><span class=\"font-377884\">The cows that graze in the pastures and alpine meadows of Switzerland are far from all the same. Each breed has its own unique characteristics, origins, and a specific role in the country\u2019s agricultural economy. Some are native and deeply tied to the Swiss landscape, while others have been imported and have adapted well to the local climate and terrain. Let\u2019s explore the main cattle breeds found in Switzerland:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"font-377884\">Brown Swiss (Braunvieh)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130877\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130877\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130878\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Braunvieh-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Mucca razza Bruna Alpina \" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Braunvieh-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Braunvieh-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Braunvieh-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Braunvieh-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Braunvieh.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130877\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Brown cattle Cow<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">Originally from central Switzerland, this dual-purpose breed is prized for its hardiness and rich, nutritious milk. Exported centuries ago, it gave rise to the famous <em data-start=\"680\" data-end=\"693\">Brown Swiss<\/em> breed in the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"font-377884\">Grey Alpine (Tiroler Grauvieh)<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"ccm-custom-style-container ccm-custom-style-inhalt-1027 container beschreibung\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_130881\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130881\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130882\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Grauvieh-300x244.jpg\" alt=\"Mucca - razza Grigia Alpina\" width=\"300\" height=\"244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Grauvieh-300x244.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Grauvieh-1024x834.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Grauvieh-768x626.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Grauvieh-1536x1251.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Grauvieh.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130881\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333 font-377884\">Cow &#8211; Tyrolean Grey breed<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">From the central Alpine arc (spanning Switzerland, Tyrol, and South Tyrol), this hardy, dual-purpose breed is well suited for high-altitude grazing.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"font-377884\">Holstein-Friesian<\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"three-three three carousel-cell\">\n<div class=\"teaser-box text-grey\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_130871\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130871\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130872\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Frisona-Holstein-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Mucche di razza Frisona (Holstein) al pascolo\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Frisona-Holstein-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Frisona-Holstein-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Frisona-Holstein-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Frisona-Holstein-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Frisona-Holstein.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130871\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333 font-377884\">Friesian (Holstein) cows at pasture<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">One of the most widespread dairy breeds in the world, originally from the Netherlands. Easily recognized by its black and white coat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"teaser-box text-grey\"><span class=\"font-377884\">The<strong> <em data-start=\"1076\" data-end=\"1090\">Red Holstein<\/em> <\/strong>variant, red and white in color, comes from the U.S. and is also common in Switzerland.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"three-three three carousel-cell\">\n<div class=\"teaser-box text-grey\">\n<h3><span class=\"font-377884\">Swiss Fleckvieh (Red Pied Swiss)<\/span><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130867\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130867\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130868\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Pezzata-Rossa-Svizzera-Swiss-Fleckvieh-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Pezzata Rossa Svizzera (Swiss Fleckvieh)\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Pezzata-Rossa-Svizzera-Swiss-Fleckvieh-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Pezzata-Rossa-Svizzera-Swiss-Fleckvieh-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Pezzata-Rossa-Svizzera-Swiss-Fleckvieh-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Pezzata-Rossa-Svizzera-Swiss-Fleckvieh-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Pezzata-Rossa-Svizzera-Swiss-Fleckvieh.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130867\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333 font-377884\">Swiss Fleckvieh<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\">A cross between Red Holstein and Simmental, this dual-purpose breed is known for its longevity, fertility, and healthy udders. Ideal for extensive farming and pasture-based systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"three-three three carousel-cell\">\n<div class=\"teaser-box text-grey\">\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\">Simmental<\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130859\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130859\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130860\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Simmental-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Mucche di razza Simmental al pascolo\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Simmental-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Simmental-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Simmental-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Simmental-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Simmental.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130859\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Simmental cows in pasture<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The Simmental is a light-colored red-white cow from the Bernese Oberland, a dual-purpose breed that is now bred all over the world and is considered one of the most important cows in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">This cow began to be exported to neighboring countries in the 16th century.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">In Switzerland it is mainly bred for the milk destined to the production of cheese, in the rest of the world it is used for its excellent meat production.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"three-three three carousel-cell\">\n<div class=\"responsive-image-wrapper\">\n<h2 class=\"image Bitte ausw\u00e4hlen\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Jersey<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"teaser-box text-grey\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_130863\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130863\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130864\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Mucca-Jersey-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Mucca Jersey\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Mucca-Jersey-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Mucca-Jersey-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Mucca-Jersey-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Mucca-Jersey-1536x1020.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Mucca-Jersey.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130863\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Jersey Cow<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"teaser_height_8\"><span class=\"font-762333\">The Jersey is a cow of English origin, with its graceful stature and black-rimmed eyes it is particularly suitable for milk production which contains the highest protein content of all dairy breeds.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\">H\u00e9rens and Evol\u00e8ne<\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130843\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130843\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130844\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/herens-kuh-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Mucche razza Herens \" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/herens-kuh-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/herens-kuh-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/herens-kuh-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/herens-kuh-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/herens-kuh.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130843\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">H\u00e9rens Cows<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The <strong>H\u00e9rens<\/strong> and the <strong>\u00c9vol\u00e8ne<\/strong> are two distinct breeds: scientific studies have shown that these breeds, contrary to others, did not arrive in Switzerland with the Celts, but came from Italy at an earlier time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">These cows are robust and frugal, and are particularly suited to grazing on steep alpine meadows.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The H\u00e9rens, is a mountain breed originally from the Valais region that enjoys particular consideration in Switzerland. It has a dark brown or black coat, and imposing horns: it has a combative temperament, which it often displays in duels held to establish a hierarchy. Clashes occur naturally within the herd.In Valais and Aosta Valley (Italy), tournaments are organized according to age and weight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The \u00c9vol\u00e8ne is a dual-purpose breed with a reddish or black coat and carries a white star on its forehead typical of the breed. Its tail, belly, legs and back may also show white spots. It has an excellent resistance, good milk production and very good slaughtering performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\"><b>Highlander<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130839\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130839\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130840\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/highlanderkuh-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Mucca - razza Highlander\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/highlanderkuh-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/highlanderkuh-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/highlanderkuh-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/highlanderkuh-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/highlanderkuh.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130839\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Cow &#8211; Highlander breed<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">Native to the Scottish highlands, it is a beef breed of cattle. This cow has coats of different colors (red, yellow, black white &#8230;) is small in size with a good attitude to calving, robust and undemanding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The thick furry coat allows the animals to withstand the coldest temperatures, and allows them to retain body heat while avoiding the formation of excess fat. Studies have shown that their meat has about 38% less fat than other cattle breeds and cholesterol is 4% lower.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\">Charolais<\/span><\/h2>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130851\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130851\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130852\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Charolais-Kuh-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Mucca razza Charolais \" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Charolais-Kuh-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Charolais-Kuh-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Charolais-Kuh-768x508.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Charolais-Kuh-1536x1017.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Charolais-Kuh.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130851\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Charolais cow<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">Native to eastern France (more precisely from the department of Sa\u00f4ne-et-Loire in Burgundy), it is a beef cow with a white or white\/cream coat and large size. In Switzerland it is raised on the central plateau, in the Pre-Alps, in Canton Jura and Canton Ticino.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\">Limousin<\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130847\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130847\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130848\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/limousin-Kuh-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Mucche - razza Limousin al pascolo\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/limousin-Kuh-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/limousin-Kuh-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/limousin-Kuh-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/limousin-Kuh-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/limousin-Kuh.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130847\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Cows &#8211; Limousin breed at pasture<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">Originally from southwestern France, it is a beef breed with a red to wheat colored coat with characteristic lightening on the eyes, mouth and feet. In Switzerland, it is bred everywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\">Angus<\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130855\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130855\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-130856\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Angus-Kuh-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Mucca - razza Angus\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Angus-Kuh-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Angus-Kuh-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Angus-Kuh-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Angus-Kuh-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Angus-Kuh.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130855\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Cow &#8211; Angus breed<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">Native to northeastern Scotland, it is a naturally hornless meat breed with a black or red coat of medium size and high meat yield. In Switzerland there are about 15,000 examples.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\">Rare Swiss cattle breeds<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">In Switzerland there are 35 documented breeds, of which only 5 have survived: the Original Swiss Brown Swiss, the Swiss Simmental, the H\u00e9rens and Evol\u00e8ne cattle and the Rhaetian Grey cattle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">These last two breeds, together with the Hinterwald cattle, are protected by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prospecierara.ch\/it\/animali\/tiergattungen\/bovini.html\"><strong>ProSpecieRara<\/strong><\/a> because they are threatened with extinction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The <strong>Hinterwald cattle<\/strong> is the smallest dual-purpose cattle breed in Central Europe and originates from the Black Forest. These cattle are mainly found in central Switzerland, in the Emmental and in the Bernese Oberland. They are long-lived, hardy, and the fattening calves have a good slaughter yield and fine-fibered meat. They also have an excellent milk yield.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The <strong>Rhaetian Grey cattle<\/strong> is a dual-purpose breed. In the past it was widespread in the Graub\u00fcnden Alps, but with the establishment of the Brown Swiss cow, the Rhaetian disappeared from Swiss territory. Fortunately, a small number of animals remained in the Tyrol (Austria) and in 1985 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.prospecierara.ch\/it\/animali\/tiergattungen\/bovini.html\"><strong>ProSpecieRara<\/strong><\/a> and a few enthusiastic breeders succeeded in reintroducing this species into the Swiss landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The <strong>Evol\u00e8ne cow<\/strong> is a dual-purpose breed native to the Valais region with good stamina and longevity that offers good milk production and an excellent slaughter yield. Today these cows can be found in the Upper Valais, Bernese and other regions of Switzerland.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-377884\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/the-alpine-season-as-candidate-for-the-intangible-cultural-heritage-of-unesco\/\">The alpine season as candidate for the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\">Mountain pasture and transhumance<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The alpine pasture begins in the summer from May\/June and has very ancient origins in Switzerland, where it seems that already in 4000 B.C. people used the pastures beyond the border of the forest until the end of September\/October, when the herds are brought back to the valley for purely climatic reasons. The mountain grass and the good air allow the cows to become stronger and more resistant to infections and to provide excellent milk to produce the delicious alpine cheeses.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130939\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130939\" style=\"width: 840px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-130940 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Transumanza \" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130939\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Transhumance<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The production of cheese during the summer was used to preserve the milk and to stock up for the winter months.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">The descent from the mountain pastures is one of the most famous alpine feasts to which are dedicated great celebrations. For the occasion, the animals are adorned with wreaths of flowers and cowbells and also the farmers march in traditional costumes leading the cattle through the streets of the village until they reach the &#8220;winter&#8221; stables. Often in the villages are organized markets and \/ or local festivals where you can taste and buy cheese and other local products, listen to music and traditional songs etc..<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"c1393\" class=\"frame frame-default frame-type-text frame-layout-0\">\n<div class=\"container\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<div class=\"frame-content\">\n<div id=\"ArticleSection-7CE066EF3C6A42D69EF6FF9190BEC0A9\" class=\"ArticleSection plain\">\n<div class=\"ArticleSection--content\">\n<div class=\"ArticleSection--content--inner\">\n<div class=\"l-Gap l-SiteWidth s-down\">\n<div class=\"ArticleSubSection\">\n<div class=\"ArticleSubSection--content\">\n<div class=\"l-Gap l-SiteWidth s-down\">\n<div class=\"richtext\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_130943\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130943\" style=\"width: 840px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-130944 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-Appenzell-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Transumanza Appenzell\" width=\"840\" height=\"560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-Appenzell-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-Appenzell-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-Appenzell-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-Appenzell-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/alpabzug-Appenzell.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130943\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">Transhumance in Appenzell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"font-762333\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Poppins;\">Cowbells<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"font-762333\">Cowbells date back to the beginnings of the practice of cattle breeding: this showed that the animal was domesticated and was not exclusive to cows but was also used for horses, goats, etc. The sound of cowbells also makes it easier for the shepherd to find the cattle in the fog, at night, or on hilly pastures. The regular sound of the cowbells highlights the calmness of the herd while a sudden ringing signals danger.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_130948\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-130948\" style=\"width: 683px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-130949 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Campanacci-mucche-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Una mucca con il campanaccio\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Campanacci-mucche-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Campanacci-mucche-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Campanacci-mucche-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Campanacci-mucche-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Campanacci-mucche.jpg 1281w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-130948\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"font-762333\">A cow with a cowbell<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ArticleSection-141E724821284BCE90180BAC779B5E5A\" class=\"ArticleSection plain\">\n<div class=\"ArticleSection--content\">\n<div class=\"ArticleSection--content--inner\">\n<div class=\"l-Gap l-SiteWidth s-down\">\n<div class=\"ArticleSubSection\">\n<div class=\"ArticleSubSection--content\">\n<div class=\"l-Gap l-SiteWidth s-down\">\n<div class=\"richtext\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The cow is a symbol in Switzerland and can be found everywhere in different forms: in addition to seeing it grazing a bit &#8216;everywhere in the typical Swiss landscapes, we find it in stores in the form of souvenirs, in many paintings, in many advertisements, or in the form of toy &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":130886,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1694,390,299,297,382,385,381,378,375,372,364,361,360,355,367,320,354,351,343,346,259,340,339,334,333,328,327,1344,256,271,260,302,210,257],"tags":[1701,1464,1466,1465,1468],"class_list":["post-130975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture","category-canton-aargau","category-canton-appenzell-inner-rhodes","category-canton-appenzell-outer-rhoders","category-canton-basel-city","category-canton-basel-country","category-canton-bern-en","category-canton-fribourg","category-canton-geneva","category-canton-jura","category-canton-lucerne","category-canton-neuchatel","category-canton-nidwalden","category-canton-obwalden","category-canton-of-glarus","category-canton-of-the-grisons","category-canton-saint-gallen","category-canton-schaffhausen","category-canton-schwyz","category-canton-solothurn","category-canton-thurgau","category-canton-ticino","category-canton-uri","category-canton-valais","category-canton-vaud","category-canton-zug","category-canton-zurich","category-curiosity","category-economy","category-europe","category-highlights","category-history","category-magazine","category-switzerland","tag-alpine-pastures","tag-cows","tag-pastures","tag-swiss-identity","tag-traditions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130975"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130975\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":235073,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130975\/revisions\/235073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swissfederalism.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}