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Holstein is one of the best known and most important dairy breeds worldwide. Around 90% of the total world milk production is coming from Holstein cows. Holstein cattle can be found in Europe mainly in the low-lying areas of Northern Germany and Benelux countries. Germany has around 1.6 million herd book cows. This is the largest Holstein breed population worldwide.
more about Holstein
Fleckvieh / Simmental is one of the best dual purpose cattle breed worldwide. Simmental is good in milk and meat production. Worldwide around 41 millions of Simmental cattle are kept. The breed is mainly spread in the Alpine region and hilly regions of Central Europe.
more about Simmental
Braunvieh / Brown Swiss are milky-type dual purpose cattle. In Europe you can find them mainly in Switzerland, Southern Germany, Italy, France, Slovenia and Austria. In other parts of the world Brown Swiss is spread in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand as well as in Africa. The worldwide Brown Swiss population is around 7 million heads.
more about Brown Swiss
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The breed Holstein is one of the most known and most important dairy breeds worldwide. Around 90% of the total world milk production is coming from Holstein cows. Holstein cattle can be found in Europe mainly in the low-lying areas of Northern Germany and Benelux countries. Germany has around 1.6 million herd book cows. This is the largest Holstein breed population worldwide.
The origin of this breed lies in North America, where German emigrants brought their local cattle landrace from costal areas around the North and Baltic Sea with them and started breeding efforts to increase the milk production. Later the breed with high milk yield, but low fat content – now called Holstein Friesian, came through the USA and Canada back to Europe. Beside the black-and-white cattle, also red-and-white cattle are known. Holstein are not only used as purebred, but are also used for crossing with other races to improve the milk performance.
Breed characteristics
Holstein cattle have a typical large frame, long legs and a thin body condition. The coat has either black and white spots (Holstein-Friesian) or red and white spots (Red Holstein). The red and white colour of Red Holstein is a genetically based trait, which is controlled by a recessive gene. Only, if the trait is homozygous, the animal carries a red and white coat, otherwise the animals carry a black and white coat. Normally the udders are white, as well as the under part of the legs and the tag. You can find animals, which are nearly white coloured, while other coats are mainly black or red coloured.
Measures & Weights
| female | male | |
| Withers height | 145 - 156 cm | 150 – 170 cm |
| Weight of a full grown animal | 600 – 750 kg | 750 – 1.100 kg |
| Holstein-Friesian | Red Friesian | |
| Annual milk yield | approx. 8.500 kg | approx. 7.500 kg |
| Fat content [in %] | 4,10 % | 4,23 % |
| Protein content [in %] | 3,39 % | 3,41 % |
| Age at first calving | 25 – 28 months |
| Calving interval | approx. 415 days |
| Productive life | 3,2 years |
| Milk production during 305 days | in average approx. 8.000 kg (best cows up to 13.000 kg milk) with 4,2 % fat and 3,4 % protein Attention: the higher the milk production, the lower the fat and protein content |
Breeding target
The breeding of Holstein Friesian and Red Holstein cattle aims for a profitable, long-living high performance dairy-type cow. To achieve this goal, mainly the parameter adaptability, functional body depth to guarantee the sufficient intake of enough roughage feed, health, fertility and stature are in the focus of the breeding efforts. The Total Merit Index (RZG, The abbreviations refer to abbreviations used by the German Holstein Association DHV) reflects the weighting scheme. The Milk Production (RZM) is given a weight of 45 %, the Functional Herd Life (RZN) of 20 %, the Conformation (RZE) of 15 %, Reproductive Traits (RZR) of 10 %, Somatic Cell Counts (RZS) of 7 % and the Calving Traits (RZK) of 3 %.
Beside these traits, which are considered in the Total Merit Index, also other breeding values like milkability, temperament or body condition are observed.
The overall goal of Holstein Friesian and Red Holstein cattle breeders are high economic milk cows with a long life, which are adaptable to the current husbandry influences. The basis is given by the good adaptability of the breed, a large body depth to ingest a lot of roughage feed, a stable health, good fertility and fine locomotion. In order to keep the quality and functionality of high daily lactations over many services, the udder composite is getting more important. A good udder composite is also very important regarding the modern milking technique.
Milk
The genetic production potential regarding the milk performance is above 10.000 kg milk with 4.0 % fat and 3.4 % protein. A Holstein cow should reach a milk production of more than 40.000 kg in her lifetime.
Functional Herd Life
The functional herd life index describes the vitality, health and robustness of the cows. In principal you can assume that a longer productive life means a higher profitability. Beside the full use of the age-related performance maximum, the breeder can reduce the costs for replacing animals and increase the selection’s distinctness.
Conformation
The conformation trait comprehends and weights several linear traits like dairy character (10 %), body (20 %), locomotion (30 %) and udder (40 %). The linear traits of an animal are scored by means of the international standard traits of the WHFF (World Holstein Friesian Federation).
Somatic Cell Count
The measuring of the milk’s somatic cell count is a very important indicator for evaluating milk hygiene and milk quality. All different cell types of the milk are counted. By this count reliable information about the udder health and immune status of the udder tissue can be given. The breeder aims to have low somatic cell counts.
Reproduction Traits
This parameter informs about the daughter fertility, conception and reproductive cycle. Especially the parameters number of services to successful conception, days between calvings (calving intervals) and non-return-rate allow reliable information about reproduction traits.
Calving Traits
The calving traits allow to get information about the calving ease and stillbirth rate. Hereby the effects of the calf’s father (paternal) as well as the effects of the cow’s father (maternal) are considered. The easier the calving process and the less stillbirths are recorded, the better the classification of the animal.
International Standard Traits
| Stature | Chest width | Body Depth |
| Angularity | Rump Angle | Rump Width |
| Rear Legs Rear View | Rear Legs Set | Foot Angle |
| Locomotion | Fore Udder Attachment | Front Teat Placement |
| Teat Length | Udder Depth | Rear Udder Height |
| Central Ligament | Rear Teat Position | Body Condition |
Advantages / Specialties
The Holstein breed is the leading cattle race in milk production transmission and udder quality. Comparing to other cattle races Holsteins often have a weaker fitness performance. Especially fertility traits are often negatively influenced. For the purpose of positive heredity, the German Holstein Association has recently introduced a fitness index RZFit©. With this fitness index it is easy to make a selection from a large number of proven Holstein bulls with best traits for fitness.
In the high-end breeding embryo transfers are widely used to enlarge the influence of top quality cows in a herd by getting many offspring of these cows. The Holstein breeding with its main breeding focus put on milk performance was one of the precursors in this embryo transfer technique worldwide. Together with the sexing technique a big step forward in the dairy and livestock business is ahead.
The breed Fleckvieh / Simmental is one of the most known dual purpose cattle breed worldwide. Simmental is good in milk and meat production. Worldwide around 41 millions of Simmental cattle are kept. The breed is mainly spread in the Alpine region and hilly regions of Central Europe.
The breed’s share in Austria is nearly 80%. Also in the south of Germany and Switzerland many Simmental cattle can be found. In these regions the animals are kept as typical dual purpose (milk and meat) breed, while in other parts of the world Simmental is often focused only on the meat production strain. The origin of the breed Simmental is located in the Bernese Oberland, Simmen valley in Central Switzerland. Therefore the breed is called Simmental in many different languages.
Breed characteristics
Fleckvieh cattle is characterised by the typical spotted coat. The head, legs, underbelly and caudal taft are always white, while the other parts of the coat can be range from light yellow to dark red brown. The white spots are individually spread over the animal’s body. Fleckvieh cattle have an unpigmented muzzle and broad forehead.
Measures & Weights
| female | male | |
| Withers height | 135 – 145 cm | 150 – 158 cm |
| Weight of a full grown animal | 630 – 780 kg | 1.100 – 1.300 kg |
| Birth weight | approx. 39 kg | approx. 41 kg |
| 200 day weight | approx. 260 kg | approx. 280 kg |
| 365 day weight | approx. 380 kg | approx. 420 kg |
| Daily gain | 1.150 g | 1.400 g |
| Age at first calving | 30 months |
| Calving interval | approx. 365 days |
| Productive life | 3,8 years |
| Own beef performance at test station | approx. 1.483 g |
| Carcass weight | approx. 58 % |
| Meat ratio | approx. 70 % |
| Milk production during 305 days | 6.687 kg milk with 4,14 % fat and 3,41 % protein |
| EUROP carcass classification E and U | 85 % Ranking from E (best conformation) – U – R – O – P (worst conformation) |
Breeding target
The breeding of Fleckvieh aspires to optimise the milk and meat performance. A very important breeding trait hereby is the so-called Total Merit Index (GZW, The used abbreviations refer to the abbreviations used by the Fleckvieh Associations in Austria and Germany). This index comprehends the three most important targets milk (38 %) – meat (17 %) – fitness (45 %).
More precisely a milk performance of 7000 kg with 4 % fat and 3.4 % protein is aimed. Beside the increase of the milk and meat performance, the attention is turned on the fitness and health of the animals. In order to achieve these goals, the Health Breeding Index has been introduced in Austria.
Milk
The desired breeding target for milk performance is 7000 kg milk with 7000 kg milk with 4 % fat and 3.4 % protein. The annual milk performance is increasing up to the fifth lactation. A specialty of Fleckvieh cows is the outstanding udder health with an average somatic cell number of < 180.000 cells counted over all lactations.
Meat
Beside the improvements in milk performance, the focus is also turned on a good beef conformation. In general the meat is characterised by good marbling. The male calves are best adequate for fattening. Besides the revenues of the milk sales, the keeper can also gain money from meat sales. Furthermore, also the slaughtered cows contribute to the sale proceeds.
Fitness
A special emphasis in Fleckvieh breeding is the improvement of fitness traits. The animals should be healthy during a long as possible productive life. In order to quantify these breeding category traits like productive life, calving and stillbirth rate, somatic cell count and milkability are measured.
Health
Many scientific research provided evidence that crucial health traits (mastitis, ketosis and lameness) can also be based genetically. The importance of healthy animals cannot be understated. Improved management and breeding gains brought higher milk performances, but also caused a lower productive life. Beside fertility problems, udder inflammation, claw diseases and metabolic disorders are the major reasons for cows to leave the herd prematurely.
This causes not only veterinary costs, but also means financial losses for the owner due to decreased earnings in milk sales caused by longer withdrawal periods, increased workload, prolonged calving intervals and additional costs for replacing animals. Therefore, the health of animals is an extremely important feature. For these reasons, future breeding work and efforts will be spotlighted on improving health traits.
Since March 2008 Austria has started a project to develop extra breeding value estimation for health traits of bulls. In the process the traits fertility, udder health and metabolism are considered. By using these Health Breeding Indices, every farm can decide on their own, if they should give more attention to health traits in their breeding process.
Trait
Mastitis (10 days before and up to 50 days after calving): 7% heritability
Fertility problems (up to 150 days after calving): 6% heritability
Milk fever (10 days before and up to 10 days after calving): 15% heritability
Advantages / Specialties
Fleckvieh is a race, which can easily adopt to the various climate and environmental surroundings. Thus, we find Fleckvieh cattle from the tropics to Siberia all over the world. The breeding, focused on fitness and health, assures the worldwide acceptance and love for Fleckvieh. By breeding for milk and meat, the keeper can gain revenues from selling milk as well as slaughtered animals. Especially in markets where prices considerably fluctuate, the farmers appreciate these two sources of gaining revenues. Fleckvieh is also used in crossbreeding and suckler cow husbandry. The special breed meat Fleckvieh is described in our separate folder.
The animals of the breed Braunvieh are milky-type dual purpose cattle. In Europe you can find them mainly in Switzerland, Southern Germany, Italy, France, Slovenia and Austria. In other parts of the world Braunvieh is spread in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand as well as in Africa. The worldwide Braunvieh population is around 7 million heads.
The breed of Braunvieh started in the 15th century in the Central Switzerland. The rough climate of the Swiss mountains and Alpine valleys brought a robust cattle race, which was soon requested throughout the whole Switzerland and other countries. In the middle of the 19th century the first animals were shipped to North America. These animals continued to be bred as Brown Swiss cattle. In Europe nearly all cattle were used as triple purpose cattle (milk, meat and draft) up to the World War II. Since the middle of the 1960 the European stock was changed into the modern milk type Braunvieh by crossings with the American Brown Swiss. The share of Braunvieh in Austria is 8%. Beside the modern type of Braunvieh also the original Braunvieh race continues to be bred (especially in extensive animal husbandry). These animals are called Original Braunvieh and bred as dual purpose cattle for milk and meat yield.
Breed characteristics
Braunvieh is highly adequate for keeping on alps or mountain pastures due to its Alpine origin. Around 28% of the Austrian Braunvieh cows and nearly all young cattle are kept on alps during the Summer time. Braunvieh has a unicoloured coat, which ranges from brown to mouse grey and beige. Normally the male cattle shows darker coats than the female. Further typical characters are the dark claws, the black muzzle with a bright edge and bright hairs inside the ears. The horns are bright with dark tips. During the last years the animals became bigger. A further increase in size is not aimed anymore.
Measures & Weights
| female | male | |
| Withers height | 138 – 152 cm | 150 – 160 cm |
| Weight of a full grown animal | 650 – 750 kg | 1000 – 1200 kg |
| Birth weight | approx. 35 kg | approx. 37 kg |
| 200 day weight | approx. 240 kg | approx. 260 kg |
| 365 day weight | approx. 340 kg | approx. 400 kg |
| Daily gain | 850 g | 1000 g |
| Age at first calving | 31,4 months |
| Calving interval | approx. 400 days |
| Productive life | 3,9 years |
| Carcass weight | approx. 55,7% |
| Milk production during 305 days | 6856 kg milk with 4,11% fat and 3,41% protein |
Breeding target
The breeding of Braunvieh strives to optimise the economy of milk production and fitness. A very important breeding trait hereby is the so-called Total Merit Index (GZW, The abbreviation refers to the abbreviations used by the Austrian and German Braunvieh Associations.). This index comprehends the three most important targets milk (48%) – meat (5%) – fitness (47%).
Milk
The main use of Braunvieh is the milk production. The breeding target is to gain a life production of > 40.000 kg milk with 3.5% protein and 4.0% fat. Especially the increase in milk yield from one lactation to the next must be highlighted. Braunvieh is the race with the lowest somatic cells and best udder health amongst the milk centred dual purpose cattle breeds. The milk is characterised by a high content of protein. Most notably is the high content of κ-casein. Casein is a mixture of different proteins, which does not reach the whey and therefore a main component of cheese. This fact makes the milk of Braunvieh cows most coveted by cheese makers.
Meat
The emphasis of Braunvieh breeding is not on meat performance and is considered in the breeding program at only 5 %. Originally the meat production was much more desired, but over the years the breeding focus was steered on milk performance and fitness of the animals.
Fitness
A special focus of Braunvieh breeding is the improvement of fitness. This trait is mainly pursued by the characteristics of longevity and somatic cell counts.
Longevity
A long productive life means low replacing costs. Precisely a long productive life is the crucial parameter for economic success. To stress this point, The average productive life of Braunvieh cattle in Austria has reached 3.85 years.
Udder health / Somatic Cell Count
Good evidence about udder health can be done by the somatic cell count. This indicator describes the amount of somatic cells found in the milk. The milk of healthy animals only contains little of these cells, while the milk of sick or stressed animals shows an increased amount of cells. Healthy animals show somatic cell counts of around 20.000 to 100.000 cells per millilitre. As soon as the udder health is badly influenced not only the somatic cell counts increase, but also the milk yield and composition of milk are changed.
Fertility
The trait fertility in general means the natural capability of giving life. A numeric recording of fertility is mainly done on the basis of the parameters calving interval (time between successive calvings), insemination index (amount of inseminations necessary for conception) or non-return-rate.
Advantages / Specialties
Braunvieh is a frugal, adaptive, robust and long-living cattle race. The breed is mainly chosen by the healthy udders and outstanding milkability. A substantial advantage of Braunvieh is the high protein content of the milk. Therefore the milk is best adequate for cheese production. Braunvieh can be easily kept on extensive farms as well as in larger herds. By their calm temperament and affability the race can be kept in various farming types. The breed Braunvieh is well known for the easy calving without any problems. This fact minimises veterinary expenses for the farmer. Braunvieh can handle the heat better than other cattle races. Braunvieh is less sensitive against sunrays due to the dark coat, which can shield the UV irradiation and the dark eyelids. Compared to other races like Holstein Friesian, Braunvieh cows are more heat tolerable and decrease the milk production in hot areas only slightly compared to moderate climate zones. By the easy calving of Braunvieh cows and the low replacing costs due to the long productive life, Braunvieh cows are often inseminated by the semen of beef cattle bulls. These F1 calves are often used for fattening. Besides the mating with beef cattle, Braunvieh is also cross bred with Holstein Friesian to achieve still higher milk yields combined with the healthy locomotion of Braunvieh.
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Deromond is an Austrian-based company advising international corporate groups trading foodstuffs and commodities in mass demand as well as livestock & genetics.
Our headquarter is based in Vienna, Austria.