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Livestock farming

Number of Cases
530
Livestock farming has been developing in Serbian areas for centuries. It is part of the heritage of ancient communities and the Old Balkan population. It was carried out in large cooperative households and by association of peasants.
The centuries-old purpose of seasonal livestock farming was the production of dairy products, so the collection is characterized by containers for milking, transfer, storage and warehousing of milk, sour milk, yogurt, cheese, butter and cream, as well as tools and devices for processing milk - strainers, columns and flasks, cheese graters, cheese counters, cheese molds.

Traditional livestock farming included sheep, goat, cattle and pig farming, and the people always tried to make good use of the natural environment. On the other hand, the animals had to be well taken care of, so this collection equally shows shackles, putila, protective baskets and goads for calves, as well as combs for cows, shears for shearing sheep, sheep and cattle bells etc. A special place in the collection is occupied by horse breeding as well as the relationship towards livestock guardian dogs, as shown by special collars for defense against attacks by wolves and bears.

The collection consists of about 530 items.

The curator in charge of the collection is Dr. Marko Stojanović, museum advisor: marko.stojanovic@etnografskimuzej.rs
A container for pressing cheese - grudara with a plate
Inv. No. 8057
Butter barrel
Inv. No. 31990
Mold for cheese
Inv. No. 45320
Grudara with lid
Inv. No. 4074
Strainer
Inv. No. 12198
Bread pan – karlica
Inv. No. 27483
Cowbell – klepetuša
Inv. No. 49754
Curry comb – češagija
Inv. No. 38105
Cheese curd – sirnjača
Inv. No. 27209
Shepherd's shears
Inv. No. 51437
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A container for pressing cheese - grudara with a plate

Inv. No. 8057
Cheese press. Fresh white cheese, wrapped in cheesecloth, was squeezed and pressed in wooden presses.

Ušće near Raška, southern Serbia
20th century

Butter barrel

Inv. No. 31990
Butter barrels were used in regions where butter was first separated, and then semi-fat white cheese was made. Women usually hand-churned the milk, and tools such as pestles, butter barrels, and mlaćenice were made from spruce wood in areas of pastoral farming, as spruce does not react to dairy acids and does not alter the taste of butter.

Kosovo, Serbia
20th century, first half

Mold for cheese

Inv. No. 45320
Cheese molds for kačkavalj (a type of hard cheese) were used for generations on the mountain pastures. They were usually made of wood.

Rgošta, near Knjazevac, Timok Krajina, Eastern Serbia
20th century, second half

Grudara with lid

Inv. No. 4074
Grudara (round cheese press) is a tool used for draining cheese. It is made of maple wood, with a lid made of elm wood. The cheese is placed inside the grudara, covered with the lid, and a heavier object is placed on top, leaving it for 1-2 hours to drain the water.

Perućac, Bajina Bašta, Western Serbia
20th century, second half

Strainer

Inv. No. 12198
Woven from white wool, it was used for holding bread and draining cheese.

Žagubica, Homolje, Eastern Serbia
20th century, first half

Bread pan – karlica

Inv. No. 27483
A device in which milk is poured and cream is collected. Made of pine wood, elliptical in shape.

Akmadžići, Nova Varoš, Southwestern Serbia
20th century, first half

Cowbell – klepetuša

Inv. No. 49754
A type of bell used for herding livestock, primarily sheep. Made of metal, golden in color. Inside, there is a clapper in the shape of a mallet, which is longer than the bell. The sound is produced by the clapper striking the sides of the bell.

Pirot, Southern Serbia
20th century

Curry comb – češagija

Inv. No. 38105
An instrument used for grooming livestock, primarily cattle. It consists of two parts ‒ a metal comb and a wooden handle. The comb is made up of four segments with teeth, and the handle is secured with two thicker wires.

Knjaževac, Eastern Serbia
20th century, first half

Cheese curd – sirnjača

Inv. No. 27209
An instrument for cheese draining. Made of beech wood. It is oval in shape with a funnel-like spout at one end. It is set on three inserted legs.

Krušar, Ćuprija, Central Serbia
20th century, first half

Shepherd's shears

Inv. No. 51437
Made of iron, red in color. They consist of two parts, joined together with a metal wedge. They were used for shearing sheep.

Prnjavor, Mačva, Western Serbia
20th century
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