Stop What You’re Doing And Watch These Cows Get Airlifted Down From The Swiss Alps

Switzerland Cow Airlift Alps

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Each year, as summer comes to a close, a few thousand cows travel from higher ground in the Swiss Alps to the valley below. However, some of those cows are unable to make the trip.

As a result, the pregnant and injured bovine get a jump on their healthier herdmates and are airlifted down the mountain. A dozen of cows got the lift this year and it makes for an incredible visual.

 

Only about 1% of the group is unable to make the trek on foot but their trip is extremely entertaining and makes for some amazing images.

As seen in the video, the cows are transported one at a time in a sturdy mesh harness at the end of a cable below a chopper. Waiting farmers are there to receive the cows and use guide ropes to land them safely before moving them into more conventional trailers.

It is a rather calm transport and the cows that are airlifted are typically unfazed by their aerial trip.

“I didn’t ask a cow how it feels after such a flight as it couldn’t answer, but it’s only a short distance and it has to keep going. It was only a short calm flight,” dairy farmer Jonas Arnold said, per WABC.

The rest of the herd was able to make it down the mountain and will head to Urnenboden, Switzerland to participate in the annual bovine parade. They are shepherded down the mountain by handlers.

These same cows will be back on the moooooooove (get it?) when the warmer weather returns in spring.