hurtling heiFers and Flying dung
A bizarre bovine mystery in Switzerland and a mythical cowpat combat re- enacted in India
The fleeing cows had to pass through a pasture occupied by four yaks
oVer THe edGe
On the night of 24 May, 13 Hérens cows broke out of their pen, ran across pasture and either fell or threw themselves off a 50m (164ft) cliff near the Swiss village of Levron. Twelve of them died, while the 13th survived – probably because it landed on the others – but was injured and taken to an animal hospital in Bern. “The cows broke through several lines around the pasture before finding themselves on the ridge,” said Norbert Terrettaz, president of a farming insurance company in the region. “They fell into the void, as though they were forced into it.”
In total the cows were thought to be worth 20,000 francs. They belonged to several owners but were all grazing on land belonging to a local couple, who said they thought some kind of predator must have chased the beasts off the cliff. Nevertheless, their behaviour was unusual. “Cows don’t follow each other like sheep, when they are scared they have a tendency to disperse,” said Terrettaz.
To add to the mystery, before reaching the cliff the fleeing cows had to pass through a pasture occupied by four yaks, none of which had injuries consistent with a predator. If a wolf or lynx was pursuing the cows, it’s unlikely it would have been uninterested in the yaks.
The Hérens (or Eringer in German) cow is a traditional breed in the Swiss canton of Valais whose ancestors existed in the Rhône valley region as far back as 3,000 BC. Naturally combative, the cows often fight to establish the leader of the herd, behaviour that has led to organised cow-fighting competitions in the area. The Local (Switzerland), 31 May 2017.
epiC dUnG BaTTLe
Every year, the people of Kairuppala, a village in India’s Andhra Pradesh state, engage in an epic cow dung cake battle that often leaves dozens injured. They believe the tradition brings them good health and prosperity. Legend has it that LordVeerabhadra Swamy, a fearsome form of the Hindu god Shiva, and the Goddess Bhadrakhali fell in love and decided to marry. In order to tease his beloved, Veerabhadra Swamy declared that he did not want to marry anymore, which enraged Bhadrakhali and her clansmen, who decided to teach the deceitful groom a lesson by beating him with cow dung cakes. The other side retaliated, but the bizarre battle ended in compromise and the much awaited celestial wedding. Today, the devotees of Kairuppala village celebrate their union by re-enacting their mythical battle using the same unconventional weapons.