Farm animals: between pets and livestock : a case study from a Swiss alpine farm

Abstract: This essay explores farmers' interaction and emotional attachment to their cows. More precisely, the emotional attachment, conceptualisation of a good cow and good stockmanship was analysed using phenomenological approaches and Rhoda Wilkie’s (2005: 218) classification of sentient commodities as a central concept. The fieldwork was carried out as a participant observation on an alpine farm in the Swiss Alps during one summer. The essay discusses how farmers emotionally relate to their cows, how the emotional relationship is different to other livestock animals and ultimately, how the emotional attachment of the farmer to their animals enables the transgression of the division of pet and livestock in farm animals.