Ulrich Dinges' photos with the keyword: Viehscheid

The best cow (called the "Kranzkuh") from each herd lead the procession through the village. It traditionally leads the flock on their way to the local stables. You receive an unusually large elaborate headdress, This kind of remarcable decoration the mountain animals is first mentioned in a 1746 inventory of Val Pusteria. However, garnishing animals during cattle drive should go back to much older times. Despite the difficult mountain summer 2014 there had been no losses, so that this Alpe could decorate the leading Cow.

Of bells: One bell is formed from cast brass and shaped like a bell. A so called “Schelle” is a big bell , made of sheet metal; Available in different sizes. On pasture the cattle usually wear handcuffs so called pasture clamps. more infos in regard of Cow separation:: www.viehscheid.com www.allgaeu-viehscheid.de

After about 100 days on the mountain height of the Alms Cows and all other creatures go down to the valley. Herd size: about 1000 animals in two days About 20,000 visitors throng despite the rain to Viehscheid to Ried (Renksteg); , south of Oberstdorf; a beer tent . There is Collecting and distributing place for the animals the so called "Scheidplatz". Situated usually outside the village a prepared meadow, here the herds apart divorced after coming down in the valley again and returned to their owners. As the place outside the city, a shuttle of busses was set up from Oberstdorf Train Station.

In the German-speaking Alps cattle drive is called , "Alpabfahrt" , regionally "Alpabzug" (Switzerland) and in the Allgäu (Germany) "Viehscheid". The cows, depending on rank, put on different sounding bells. This should dispel demons by the ringing.

At the end of September there is a event in Allgäu (Bavaria) called "Viehscheid" this is when the cows come down from the huts on high ground, where they have grazed for the summer getting fat. Various farmers send cows to the mountains under the control of a herdsman for several months in the spring untill summer. At the end of September the coes return from the mountains where they were seperated again, that's where the name "Viehscheid" (Sorting/seprating the cows) comes from. When they arrive a selcted meadow in the valley there is a place where the cows are separated from each other, the Herdsman calls out the name of the owners and each owner takes care of his cows. There is always a big party when the cows come down, with a large beer-tent, orchestra playing and so on.