Fleckvieh

The Fleckvieh is a breed of dual-purpose cattle suitable for both milk and meat production. It originated in Central Europe in the nineteenth century from cross-breeding of local stock with Simmental cattle imported from Switzerland. Today, there are 41 million animals worldwide. It is the second most numerous breed in the world.

History

The Fleckvieh originated in the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Bavaria from cross-breeding of local stock with Simmental cattle imported from Switzerland from about 1830. The Simmental had good milk-producing and draught qualities, and the resulting crosses were triple-purpose animals with milk, meat and draught capabilities. The Fleckvieh is now a dual-purpose breed; it may be used for the production of beef or milk, or be crossed with dairy breeds or with beef breeds.

It is reported from several European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain, and also, since 2009, from Switzerland; in Hungary, the Fleckvieh is present on many small farms and its importance is growing steadily. It is also reported from other countries of the world, including Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.