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Den Sommer auf einer der schönen Engelberger Alpen geniessen.

Jahr für Jahr im Herbst ein Publikumsmagnet: die En- gelberger Viehschau. The Engelberg cattle show attracts large audi- ences every autumn.

The Alpine pastures around Engelberg are a beautiful place to spend the summer.

Alpine meadows are famed throughout the world for their picturesque beauty. Just as beautiful are the cows that graze here – so much more than a source of milk and meat. Mountain- ous regions like Engelberg need particularly robust breeds. Here, we introduce you to the Braunvieh, a widespread breed in the region. As the name suggests, Braunv ieh cat- tle are a lways brown. These horned cows orginated in Switzerland and are distributed throughout the A lpine region. Braunv ieh breeding in Engelberg is a respec ted tradition.

their bov ine beauties who spend their sum- mers up in the lush mountain pastures. Shows such as this are much more than a f un traditiona l event; they let breeders know whether their approach to anima l husbandr y and caring for their cat tle is the right one. Cat tle breeding in Engelberg rea lly took of f a lit tle over a centur y ago, when the Viehzuchtgenossenschaf t was founded. In 1893, the Swiss federa l government introduced a law promoting agricu lture, and the canton passed an ordinance to improve livestock breeding, cows bred in the Engelberg va lley have ranked high ly at various regiona l and nationa l shows. A lthough much has changed in cat tle breeding over that time, the farmers have maintained their respec t for their anima ls and for nature. While economic considerations have taken the upper hand in many other places, Engelberg’s breed- ers continue to emphasise the needs of their cows and of the env ironment. In Engelberg, traditiona l farming cu lture and long-cher- ished customs like cat tle shows, transhumance, and festive cat tle processions are here to stay. with prizes to be awarded to the best breeders. This led to the foundation of numer- ous breeding associations. Over the past centur y,

Records show that as far back at the 14th centur y, Engelberg Abbey was a leading breeder of Braunv ieh, a longside the famous abbeys in Muri and Einsiedeln. A lthough the Ab- bey no longer does any farm-

Anton Reckziegel is regarded as one of Switzerland’s best advertising poster artists.

ing itself, it is still the largest landowner in the va lley and leases parcels of land to farmers. Engelberg’s cat tle farmers va lue these lovely brown cows because they are a ver y robust breed, per fec t for mountainous regions. In the summer, most cows get driven up to the A lpine pastures to graze – so they have to be f it! Once a year, in mid-Oc tober, Engelberg’s cat tle breeding association (Viehzuchtgenos- senschaf t Engelberg) inv ites breeders, farm- ers and an interested public to the traditiona l cat tle show, where the cows get to show of f their streng th and stamina, brawn and beauty. The event is a great oppor tunity to share ideas about cows, breeding, and the meaning of life. The stars of the show each year are the cows themselves, who will have returned to the va lley just a few days prev iously. At the show, judges caref u lly scruti- nise the cows and rank them based on their appearance and other qua lities. Engelberg’s farmers have ever y reason to be proud of

Der Umgang mit den Tieren ist das A und O bei der Viehzucht. Correct treatment and care of the animals is a crucial part of cattle breeding.

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kultur | arts+culture

kultur | arts+culture