Skiing cow ‘calves’ it down the mountain

A publicity stunt for a restaurant, a skiing cow video from the 1980s, has gone viral. 

The film, shot in 1985, is from the archives of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation and attempts to tell the story of Swiss farmers and the tough life they often face. In winter, they often find themselves trapped by the snow, with driving cows anywhere simply impossible.

The video clip shows a farmer in the Bernese Alps strapping a calf to skis in order to reach the valley in case of a future emergency.

Although it’s impossible to know what’s going through the cow’s mind, several users on Facebook reckon the stunt falls foul of animal protection regulations.

What do you think? An inspired example of Swiss ingenuity, or animal cruelty? 

Correction: The first version of this story failed to mention that it was a publicity stunt for a restaurant.