Published
Video length: 2 min
Bovine transhumance: cows by boat
In the Marais Poitevin, in Deux-Sèvres, the transhumance of cattle takes place by barge. To access the green meadows, the breeders and their animals must cross a major obstacle: a river.
(France 2)
In the Marais Poitevin, in Deux-Sèvres, the transhumance of cattle takes place by barge. To access the green meadows, the breeder and his animals must cross a major obstacle: a river.
After six months on the farm, the cattle will experience an adventure to go green. “They are happy, they smell like grass”, rejoices cattle breeder Jean-Francois Coursaud. The destination is only 1 kilometer from the farm. Every year for this transhumance, it’s the same ballet, we have to take animals who are not always reassured across the Sèvre Niortaise.
“They will clean the marshes, maintain them”
The cruise lasts only a few minutes before arriving on the other side of the river, in a green meadow. In total, four round trips were necessary to transport the cows. This open-air grazing is beneficial for the quality of their meat, but not only that. “They will clean the marshes, maintain them”, explains the breeder. Over the years, there are fewer and fewer breeders to perpetuate this tradition.
