Brown Swiss is a North American breed of dairy cattle. It derives from the Alpine Braunvieh. After the Holstein Friesian, it has the second-highest annual milk yield, over 9,000 kg (20,000 lb) per annum. The milk contains on average 4% butterfat and 3.5% protein, making their milk excellent for production of cheese. The Brown Swiss is known for a long gestation period, immense size, large furry ears, and an extremely docile temperament. Regardless, the Brown Swiss is quite a resilient breed of cattle; they are hardy and capable of subsisting with little care or feed.
The Brown Swiss originated on the slopes of the Alps in Switzerland; because they were bred in this harsh climate, they are resistant to the heat, cold and many other common cattle problems. In 1949, animal scientist Hilton M. Briggs postulated the original population of cattle in the European Alps were improved with Pinzgauer blood. The hypothesis was based on an incomplete knowledge of cattle color genetics and history. Greater knowledge of the bovine genome has disproved that conjecture.