Hirten

Hirten is the German term for shepherds or herders who tend livestock, especially sheep and goats, though cattle are included in some contexts. A Hirte is responsible for guiding the herd to pasture, managing grazing, guarding animals against predators, maintaining fencing, and tending health and welfare, including basic livestock care.

Historically and regionally, herding has been a mobile occupation often tied to transhumance. In many Alpine and mountainous regions, the herd is moved from lower valleys in spring to high mountain pastures in summer and returned in autumn. This seasonal migration shapes local routines, housing, and dairy production; shepherds work with sheepdogs and use staffs or crooks, bells, and, in modern settings, various equipment.

Culturally and economically, Hirten have been central to rural life. They supplied milk for cheese and other dairy products and contributed to landscape management and biodiversity. The figure of the Hirte appears in folklore, songs, and regional festivals, and in Alpine regions the term is linked to the broader pastoral economy, with related roles such as the Senner or Sennin, who runs a dairy on the mountain pasture.

In the modern era, traditional shepherding persists in some areas as a livelihood and as a means of land stewardship. Contemporary Hirten may combine traditional practices with modern technology—fences, dogs, and monitoring systems—while benefiting from rural development programs that support pastoralism and agri-tourism.