Cattle breeds
Braunvieh or Brown cows

24. April 2025

A Swiss ‘product’ found all over the world

Originally a Swiss cow

Brown cows are an integral part of Switzerland – at least in certain regions. The Braunvieh (which simply means ‘brown cattle’ in German) originated in central Switzerland. The earliest documents recording the breeding of this cattle come from the Monastery of Einsiedeln and date back to the 15th century. Originally, Braunvieh cattle were used as working animals, as well as for milk and meat. The term ‘Braunvieh’ or ‘Swiss Braunvieh’ encompasses the Brown Swiss (BS), Original Braunvieh (OB) and Back-Crossed Original Braunvieh (ROB) breeds. BS cattle are essentially the dairy sisters of the dual-purpose OB and ROB varieties, which are used for both milk and beef.

The all-rounder

The Braunvieh spread throughout Switzerland from the 18th century onwards and its herd-book was established in 1879. From central Switzerland, the Braunvieh spread across the Alpine region and into neighbouring countries, eventually becoming an unparalleled export hit in the 19th century, reaching as far as America. There, the brown cows’ milk yield was greatly enhanced. In the 1960s, the first so-called ‘Brown Swiss’ returned from America and were crossed with the Braunvieh cows that were being kept here for milk production.

Since then, there have been two breeding lines in Switzerland: On one hand, there is the Braunvieh’s sister Brown Swiss, which specialises in milk production, and on the other, the Braunvieh or Original Braunvieh, which continues to be kept as a dual-purpose breed for milk and meat production.

Braunvieh cows are at home on mountain pastures. They turn grass into a valuable foodstuff. | Photo: Martin Freund
Belted ‘Gurt’ cattle are Braunvieh cattle with a white belt around the belly. Lineback ‘Blüem’ cattle also have white markings on their coat: The dorsal line should be white, while the base of the tail should ideally be white with interspersed brown spots. A white-speckled head and white bands on the hocks are also typical features. | Photo: Ady Hotz

At home on mountain pastures

The Braunvieh, with its two varieties Original Braunvieh and Back-Crossed Original Braunvieh, has been an important breed in suckler cow farming since the start of the 1970s. The cows are well suited to converting grass from the Swiss hills and mountain slopes into valuable milk for the calves. The animals are robust and made for the mountains. It is in their nature to spend the summer on Alpine pastures.

Incidentally, there are two rarities among Braunvieh, with lineback and belted markings respectively: the so-called ‘Blüem’ and ‘Gurt’. These are considered lucky charms in the barn and on the pasture.