03.03.2017

In the cow barns on the Ritten in South Tyrol, as opposed to the big dairy farms, every cow in has a given name and is not simply a number. Thus we have a much closer bond with our animals and they in turn thank us by giving us delicious quality milk.

If you have ever visited a cow barn on the Ritten you might have wondered about the odd and quirky name creations like “Stinker” “Patchy” or “Nilli”. It is important to understand that the christening of the young calves looks back onto a long tradition. The calves are named after their mother with their names always beginning with the same initial as the name of the parent animal. If, while hiking in the Dolomites, you come across a cattle herd, it is likely that the cow “Resi” and her calf “Rotschopf“ are found grazing the luscious meadows on the Ritten Plateau beside cow “Sigi” and calf “Super”.
This tradition allows us farmers to keep track of our livestock’s lineage. Just like human beings, cattle exhibits hereditary quirks and character traits and the traditional naming chain helps us adjust to them.
Because we really care for our animals.