moo cows galore

The Ascension weekend is traditionally the weekend Swedish farmers let their cows out on green pastures after many months of indoors life. The reason/s for that indoor life only during winters on days with good weather to me seem to be sadly more for the convenience of farmers than the welfare of cows.

The spring cow release (as in "kosläpp") has for some years now been a well-visited arrangement at the farms that open up for visitors on that day. Frisky, prancing cows running out into the green fields really is a sight for sore eyes and I've been meaning to attend such a release for years.

Even though I do find the double-standards of most people attending such arrangements quite appalling. On the one hand there's a lot of oohing and how-sweet-ahing, on the other hand they have no problems with the slaugthering of said cows and eating of meat. Thus attending such venues do fill me with very mixed emotions and the ever-present undercurrent of sadness. As cows must be one of the most used and abused species on this planet. Who give us so much from and of their lives.

That said I did attend my first cow release some weeks ago. And yes, it filled me with all those miscellaneous feelings, but the cows (about 60 of them) were of course just adorable, loveable and sweet. Here are some glimpses from that day (more photos as usual in Flickr-album set) ~

still waiting for the cows...

the first two happy gals

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the latecomer

very obviously dairy cow

well hallo moo to you too

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the need for a friendly butt

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ain't you just the prettiest not so little thing...

... and you too

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