![Journal pone 0028857 g001 white Fleckvieh](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Journal_pone_0028857_g001_white_Fleckvieh.png)
The Fleckvieh is a
breed
A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...
of dual-purpose cattle suitable for both
milk
Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. Immune factors and immune ...
and
meat
Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...
production. It originated in Central Europe in the 19th century from
cross-breeding
A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. ''Crossbreeding'', sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism, While crossbreeding is used to main ...
of local stock with
Simmental
The Simmental ( en, Simme Valley) is an Swiss Alps, alpine valley in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. It expands from Lenk to Boltigen, in a more or less south-north direction (Obersimmental (district), Obersimmental), and from there to the v ...
cattle imported from Switzerland. Today, the worldwide population is 41 million animals.
History
The Fleckvieh originated the
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire (german: link=no, Kaiserthum Oesterreich, modern spelling , ) was a Central-Eastern European multinational great power from 1804 to 1867, created by proclamation out of the realms of the Habsburgs. During its existence, ...
and the
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German E ...
from
cross-breeding
A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. ''Crossbreeding'', sometimes called "designer crossbreeding", is the process of breeding such an organism, While crossbreeding is used to main ...
of local stock with
Simmental
The Simmental ( en, Simme Valley) is an Swiss Alps, alpine valley in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. It expands from Lenk to Boltigen, in a more or less south-north direction (Obersimmental (district), Obersimmental), and from there to the v ...
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 Australia, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Meat production
A comparison was made between the rates of muscle growth and energy use of Fleckvieh bulls as compared to
German Black Pied
German Black Pied cattle are a breed of dairy cattle that originated in the North Sea coast regions of northern Germany and the Netherlands.
Until the 18th century, cattle of diverse colours were bred in these regions. After 1750, the black pied ...
(''Schwarzbunte'') bulls. The Fleckvieh bulls had faster growth rates, the carcasses had a smaller proportion of fat, especially abdominal fat, and the animals could be slaughtered at an earlier date on similar diets.
References
{{Authority control
Cattle breeds
1830 establishments in Germany
Cattle breeds originating in Germany