It’s a centuries-old tradition in La Manche. Each spring, some cattle and horses head for the marshes for a six-month greening, until November. This Wednesday, May 11, 163 animals were thus released in the Selsoif marshes, in Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, under the eyes of the public, happy to be able to witness the spectacle of this putting in the marsh again, after two years of Covid.
The return of the public and branding
The 130 cows and 33 horses, entrusted by nine farmers, will spend the whole summer in these 62 hectares of green meadows managed by the municipality. “We first welcomed the horses in the morning, then the cattle in the afternoon. The animals regain their freedom!”, says Josiane Hairon, deputy mayor in charge of agricultural affairs and marshes.
– Chloe Martin
But what delights the chosen one the most is to find the public. “It was sad without anyone. There, it’s back, it’s friendly with a good hundred people.” Result is also the return of animal marking. On horns for cows and on hooves for horses. A tradition that continues only for folklore, for only a few animals. “In the past, there was no identification of animals. Marking made it possible to recognize them from one marsh to another”explains Josiane Hairon.
A tradition passed down between generations
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte is also the only town in Manche to continue this tradition. A pride for the elected, as for Jérôme Ravenel, municipal agent in charge of marking animals for 14 years. “We mark with a hot iron, heated in a forge, the initial of the municipality and the number of the year. There, it is S2.”
– Chloe Martin
A little smoke, a grilled smell… A rather impressive spectacle. “A bit hard for the girls, they thought the animal was in pain. But they were quickly reassured when we told them that it wasn’t”, smiles Alexandra, who came from Coutances with her two daughters. This demonstration is above all an opportunity to transmit this local know-how to all generations.
From little Sacha, 20 months, to the dean of Selsoif, 90, young and old are gathered around this tradition that everyone hopes will continue. Siméon Vautier, who just arrived as a municipal agent a year and a half ago, is already ready to take up the torch, “the longest time possible”.