Kalvø is a small uninhabited island in the southern part of

Guldborgsund Guldborgsund is the strait between the Danish islands of Lolland and Falster. It connects Smålandsfarvandet in the north with the Bay of Mecklenburg in the south. The strait is about 30 kilometers long; its breadth varies from 150 meters at Gu ...

, the

strait A strait is an oceanic landform connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. The surface water generally flows at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in either direction. Most commonly, it is a narrow ocean channe ...

between the

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

islands of

Lolland Lolland (; formerly spelled ''Laaland'', literally "low land") is the fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of . Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of Region Sjælland (Region Zealand). As of 1 January 2022, it has 57,618 inhabitant ...

and

Falster Falster () is an island in south-eastern Denmark with an area of and 43,398 inhabitants as of 1 January 2010.

. Its highest point is above sea level. The 29.4 hectare

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

of Kalvø- Hasselø was created by Conservation Order in 1980, and access is prohibited during the bird breeding season.

Description

Kalvø itself covers an area of . Today, with its grassy expanses and waterholes of various sizes, it is used for grazing young cattle during the summer months. It used to belong to farmers from Hasselø, the land being divided up into 12 parts. In 1700, there was already a law regulating the grazing of cattle on Kalvø and a similar law still exists today. There are also regulations to ensure the island's grasslands are not invaded by forest. The whole of Kalvø is a protected area. Access is forbidden from 15 March to 15 July when birds are breeding and raising their young.Elo West Larsen, "Kalvene på Kalvø"
''Folketidene'', 2 June 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2012. The rules of protection specify that Kalvø should maintain its grasslands for cattle grazing and that there should be no buildings or tents of any type, in the protected area. Chemicals may not be used to combat weeds or pests."Fredning i Storstrøms Amt: Hasselø samt øen Kalvø"
Danmarks Naturfredningsforening. Retrieved 9 December 2012.

Summer grazing

One of the advantages of keeping cattle on the island during the summer months is that there is no need for fencing. In addition, there is usually more than enough grass for the relatively few cattle grazing there. On the other hand, it is not easy to transport them to the island or to carry out the regular checks that are required. If the summer is exceptionally dry, there may not be enough grass. There are also risks of the animals contracting mastitis which can be borne by insects attracted by the watery area. As for transport to the island, the cattle are brought over in a small barge, three or four at a time, a process which often causes a soaking for the farmers as well as for the cattle.

References

Danish islands in the Baltic Guldborgsund Municipality Uninhabited islands of Denmark {{Denmark-island-stub