 Heifer | |
| Conservation status | FAO (2007): not at risk[1]: 143 |
|---|---|
| Other names | American Brown Swiss |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Distribution | world-wide |
| Use | |
| Traits | |
| Weight | |
| Coat | usually pale brown |
| |
TheBrown Swiss orAmerican Brown Swiss is an Americanbreed ofdairy cattle. It derives from the traditional triple-purposeBraunvieh ("Swiss Brown") of theAlpine region of Europe, but has diverged substantially from it. It wasselectively bred for dairy qualities only, and itsdraft and beef capabilities were lost. Milk yield was measured in 2013 at 10231 kg (22600 lb) per year;[2]: 142 the milk has about 4%butterfat and 3.5%protein[3] and is suitable for makingcheese.
In the twentieth century the Brown Swiss became a world breed, with a global population estimated in 1990 at seven million head. It has been much used forcross-breeding[2]: 142 and has influenced a number of modern breeds.[3]
In English "Swiss Brown" refers to the original Braunvieh breed, as opposed to "Brown Swiss" for the American breed.[2]: 142
TheBraunvieh is a traditional breed of triple-purpose cattle from theAlpine region, particularly Switzerland; it was reared as adraft beast, for its milk and for its meat. The Braunvieh was first imported to the United States in 1869, when seven cows and a bull were shipped to one Henry M. Clark inBelmont, Massachusetts.[4] Between then and 1906, when cattle imports to the United States were banned because of fear of disease, many more were imported, sometimes by immigrants arriving from Europe. The American Brown Swiss descends from a total of 167 imported parent animals.[2]: 142 Abreed society, the Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders' Association, was formed in 1880; the firstherd-book dates from 1889. By the end of the century breeding was directed towards dairy qualities; a production register for cows was opened in 1911.[2]: 142 From about 1940 the breed became more diffused across the United States. In the mid-twentieth century, intensiveselective breeding for dairy characteristics and excessiveinbreeding led to a loss ofgenetic diversity, and also to an increase in transmissible genetic defects such as the recessive factors forbovine progressive degenerative myeloencephalopathy ("weaver disease") andspinal muscular atrophy, both of which have a high percentage ofcarriers in the Brown Swiss (2.6% and 9.2% respectively).[2]: 142 [3][5]: 6157
The Brown Swiss was exported – either on the hoof or in the form ofembryos orsemen – to many countries of the world. It has been much used forcross-breeding, notably with many of the original Alpine breeds of brown cattle in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. In 1990 the global population was estimated to be approximately seven million head.[2]: 142
The American Brown Swiss is of medium size. The coat is usually a light grayish brown, but varies from almost white to gray or dark brown. There may be some shading in the coat, with the forequarters often darker than the legs and hind parts. Themuzzle is black, ringed with creamy white.[2]: 142
An average milk yield of10231 kg per cow in alactation of 305 days was reported in 2013; themilk-fat content was4.03%.[2]: 142 The milk has been found to have a slightly higher proportion oflong-chain fatty acids than that ofHolstein-Friesian cows, but no substantial difference incalcium content.[6]: 466 It is considered to be suitable forcheese-making.[2]: 142
