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7 clusters · 15 sources · 50 days · First seen · Last updated

Alpine seasonal cattle drive schedules

Overview

The 2026 schedules for traditional seasonal cattle drives in the Alpine regions of Allgäu, Vorarlberg, and Tirol have been established. These events, known as Viehscheid or Almabtrieb, involve moving livestock from high alpine pastures back to the valleys. In Vorarlberg, the drives are expected to begin in late August, with major dates in September for locations including Schwarzenberg, Silbertal, and St. Gallenkirch, as well as Au-Schoppernau.

In the Allgäu region, the season is primarily scheduled for September and October, involving approximately 31,000 young cattle and thousands of other animals returning from over 700 alpine pastures. If the summer has been peaceful, lead animals are decorated with elaborate floral wreaths, often referred to as ‘Kranzrind’. Key dates in September include Bad Hindelang, Balderschwang, and Oberstaufen on September 11. The Oberstaufen event is noted as one of the largest in the Allgäu, with over 1,200 animals returning from 19 alpine pastures. Oberstdorf will host events on September 11 and 12, while Pfronten is scheduled for September 12.

Additional scheduled events include the Unterjoch drive on September 14, Wertach on September 18, and large events in Obermaiselstein and Missen-Wilhams on September 19. In Pfronten-Röfleuten and Zell, drives are also set for September 19, with Zell hosting between 80 and 100 animals. Bolsterlang is scheduled for September 22 with approximately 500 young cattle. The season continues with the Haslach Viehscheid in Oy-Mittelberg on September 26, the Haldenwang drive on September 26, and the 26th Älplerletze on September 27. The season concludes with the Apfeltrang drive on October 4 and the Heimhofen Viehscheid near Grünenbach on October 10.

Entities

Allgäu · Bad Hindelang · Oy-Mittelberg · Pfronten · Vorarlberg

Timeline

  1. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Allgäu region schedules 2026 traditional cattle drives

    Various traditional cattle drives (Viehscheid) are scheduled across the Allgäu region for late 2026, including events in Bolsterlang, Pfronten, Zell, Haslach, and Heimhofen.

  2. [CULTURE] 3 sources
    Allgäu region prepares for 2026 traditional cattle drives

    Traditional cattle drives and alpine festivals, including major Viehscheid events in Obermaiselstein and Pfronten, are set for the 2026 season across the Allgäu region and Austria.

  3. [CULTURE] 8 sources
    Alpine livestock drives scheduled for Vorarlberg and Allgäu in 2026

    Traditional Alpine livestock drives, including the Vorarlberg Alpabtrieb and Allgäu Viehscheid, are scheduled for late August and September 2026, marking the end of the summer mountain season.

  4. [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Alpine livestock traditions and agricultural shows held in Germany and Switzerland

    Traditional alpine cattle drives and livestock shows are being held across Germany's Allgäu and Bavaria, and in the Swiss canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden.

  5. [CULTURE] 4 sources
    Allgäu and Dornbirn announce 2026 cattle drive schedules

    The 2026 dates for traditional cattle drives (Viehscheid) in Germany's Allgäu region and Dornbirn, Austria, have been announced, featuring thousands of animals and local festivities.

  6. [CULTURE] 5 sources
    Alpine cattle drive schedules announced for 2026

    Schedules for the 2026 Almabtrieb and Viehscheid cattle drives in Vorarlberg and the Allgäu region have been announced, marking the traditional seasonal return of livestock to the valleys.

  7. [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Alpine cattle season and Fleckvieh breed highlighted for 2026

    2026 Viehscheid dates are set across Allgäu and Tirol, while Austria’s Fleckvieh cattle, making up 75% of its herd, are exported to over 50 nations.

Sources

allgaeuer-anzeigeblatt.de · allgaeuer-zeitung.de · allgaeuhit.de · bund-naturschutz.de · femina1912.fr · gailtal-journal.at · hna.de · kurierverlag.de · meinegemeinde.vol.at · oesterreich.orf.at · samerbergernachrichten.de · vorsprung-online.de · watson.ch · wochenblatt-dlv.de · ww-kurier.de

This summary has been updated 12 times: see revision history