The early stages of the mountain cattle breeds will be revealed based on historical data. Archaeological bone material is used to study the ancestors of Mountain cattle breeds that lived in the North hundreds of years before official pedigree. The project also studies historical sources of the Mountain cattle breeds such as old herdbooks, descriptions of cattle as well as other primary sources to find the roots of the breeds today. ​

The historical findings serve as a foundation for studies in cultural history. Information about the common history of the breed can be used in promoting traditional, animal assisted therapy and museum farms for tourism in the region.

Hilja Solala is Investigating the Common Origins of the Nordic Mountain Cattle

What can pedigrees reveal about the origins of mountain cattle? And how are the fates and fortunes of humans and cattle intertwined in the cold and barren landscapes over the centuries? Historian Hilja Solala seeks answers to these questions and sheds light on the history of Nordic mountain cattle breeds in the multidisciplinary project “3MC – Nordic mountain cattle ” coordinated by NordGen.

100-year-old Breeding Station: A Treasure Chest of Knowledge for Project Researching the History and Genetics of Nordic Mountain Cattle

One of Sweden’s largest breeding centers for mountain cattle was situated on a farm in Trollsåsen, Jämtland County. Although it is more than 100 years since it lost its official status as a breeding center, the legacy from Trollsåsen lives on in the detailed documentation still preserved on the farm. The documentation is a treasure chest of knowledge for the 3MC project, that aims to gather and disseminate knowledge about the origins and cultural history of the Nordic Mountain Cattle.

Newly Discovered Skeleton Can Tell Us About the History of Mountain Cattle

Did the Vikings have cows? If so, how are Viking cattle related to today’s mountain cattle? We hope to answer these questions in the 3MC project, that gathers and disseminates knowledge about the mountain cattle’s origins and cultural history. A new bone find might help with this.