The Swiss Cowbell

A couple of the Pet Au Pairs team members recently took a trip to Switzerland and so we thought it would be fun to share a little something we learned about Swiss culture. 

Many of the cows of Switzerland are given a vacation from the hard work of cheese production and sent to the high alpine meadows during the summer months to lazily graze while the farmers back home use the winter fields for hay production. During their months in the alpine the cows wear bells to help farmers locate those that may wander off. The bells are not only used as beacons, however, they are also used as a status symbol and bigger is better! The farmers who are most prosperous will place the largest bells on their cows, hanging from beautifully designed leather collars and often times the bells worth can exceed that of it's wearer. In the fall, after the cow's 'vacation', they are adorned with hats and necklaces made of flowers and paraded back to their winter barns. 

Swiss Cows have it made!

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