We cannot begin to talk about Asturias without talking about one of its most important residents: la vaca (the cow). The Asturiana de los Valles (Asturian Valley Cow) shapes Asturian landscape, cuisine and identity. There are over 300,000 cattle in Asturias- roughly 1 cow for every four people! What they eat, where they live and the products they provide heavily influence the way I interact with Asturias every day and were one of the reasons I first fell in love with this region. These are not just animals, but symbols of Asturias and part of daily life. Any milk or cheese I see in the dairy section of my grocery store is likely produced from these amazing creatures!
If you take any hike through the rural trails of Asturias, you will hear a faint ringing sound. This is because cows in Asturias have a cowbell around their neck that will ring with any movement. This means that when a cow is grazing in a field and moving their head back and forth, you will hear this noise. This can alert you to their presence. While they are calm around humans, these cows are powerful and muscular, which helps them navigate the mountainous terrain. Their hooves are large and tough, which allows them to climb in the rocky fields. Their hides are colored light brown, like the chestnuts that also provide the Asturian landscape with food.
