Swiss village set to vote to keep cowbells ringing

Farmer Rolf Rohrbach blows to remove dust of cow bells used during transhumance in the village of Aarwangen, central Switzerland. Photo: AFP

Cows grazing on lush pastures with ornate metal bells gently tinkling around their necks may be one of the ultimate symbols of Switzerland, but not everyone is enchanted by such traditional scenes.

In the village of Aarwangen in central Switzerland, a complaint was filed earlier this year over the noise levels from a herd of around 15 cows grazing overnight on a field next to a residential area.