Germany's Ceremonial Mountain Cattle Drives

Ceremonial mountain cattle drives, Almabtrieb, have had a permanent place

in Bavarian farming life for centuries, and in many villages the last golden days of summer and early autumn continue to see processions of festively decorated cows, creating their own cow bell symphony, coming down from their summer pastures high up on the mountains and making their way to winter quarters.

Accompanied by traditional Bavarian music and villagers wearing Tracht, the traditional dress of Lederhosen for men and Dirndls for the women, cattle belonging to different farmers follow garlanded lead cows, one per herd, to the Scheidplatz, literally "parting place", where they are claimed by their owners.

There is not enough meadow land available in the mountain valleys to both feed the cattle and grow hay for the winter, which is why for generations they have been driven up to the Alpine pastures as soon as these are free from snow, usually during June, to spend the summer months feasting on meadow grass with its flowers and mountain herbs. This not only has a very positive effect on the quality of their milk, the mountain air and terrain also makes them stronger.

While at the same time it is important for the mountains that grass is "mowed", as if it remains long this will allow snow to cling to it, and the weight can pull out the entire plant, including roots, leading to the erosion of the mountain-side.

An average farmer will have several huts at different altitudes, and these may have small hay fields alongside for additional winter fodder, while the cattle live in fenced off areas which are gradually moved around to fresh grazing. However despite the fencing there are nearly always some who fall off the grassy slopes.

Milked twice a day, with a mobile milking parlor, on the lower levels their milk is taken down to the village, while at higher levels it is often turned into cheese, the famous Allgaeuer Bergkaese, mountain cheese from the Allgaeu region of Bavaria.

And, although the prospect of early snow can bring the date forward, it is the arrival of summer's last days which normally herald the time to prepare the cows for the journey down from their alpine pastures.

For the Almabtrieb, which means "Drive from the mountain pasture",

cattle grazing in different areas are rounded up to be returned to the valley, and every year cow herders and milkmaids spend days making beautiful headdresses from small evergreen branches, flowers, garlands, ribbons, bells and wooden ornaments, colored wooden rosettes, shavings and crosses, to decorate them.

Every region has a different style and the cows are fitted with the headdresses the day before the drive, the only exception is if there has been a fatal accident during the summer or a death in the family, then the cattle procession custom is not followed that year.

In some areas as the cows are driven towards their winter stalls the milkmaids have a traditional call:

"In God's name move on, my cow, in health and joy; St. Anthony will herd you!".

A blessing which is repeated three times along with the Lord's Prayer. St. Anthony is a patron saint of animals, harvests and pig farmers amongst other things, and pigs are often taken up to the cheese making areas as they eat, and benefit from, the whey and other cheese making by-products which if left as waste would damage the ecosystem.

The Almabtrieb is followed by the ceremonial Viehscheid, "cattle separation", and village Folk Fair festivities with Bavarian brass bands, beer and food, as well as dancing, traditional farmers markets and displays from blacksmiths, wood carvers and other artisans. And these celebrations will continue well into the alpine night.

There is one cattle-drive which is quite different from all the others because, after the cattle have come down from their summer stay in the Berchtesgaden mountains, they must cross a lake. Lake Koenigssee.

With no road going around it the cows are driven onto rafts by the

cow herders, who then row them across the water, and it is not until they have reached the other side that they are decorated with their garlands and bells so the celebrations can begin.

Taking place in October this fall Almabtrieb is the final one for the year. In the previous weeks all the cattle which had spent months grazing on lush alpine pastures will have been safely transported back to their winter quarters, and there they will stay until next summer when the last of the snow has disappeared from the mountains.

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