The Fleckvieh (, ) is a breed of dual-purpose cattle suitable for both dairy cattle and beef cattle production. It originated in Central Europe in the 19th century from cross-breeding of local stock with Simmental cattle imported from Switzerland. Today, the worldwide population is 41 million animals.
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
dairy cattle and
Working animal 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.
Meat production
A comparison was made between the rates of muscle growth and energy use of Fleckvieh bulls as compared to German 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.
