Milk Cow #845 - Hilde

Milk cow #845 with name Hilde belongs to the cattle breed of the brown cow ("Allgäuer Braunvieh"), which is most common in the Allgäu region in the southwest of Bavaria, Germany. Together with approximately 50 other cows, Hilde is used for the milk production at agricultural research facility at Veitshof, Freising. The modern brown cow is about 1.50 m tall and weighs up to 650 to 700 kg. The original is much smaller at 132 cm and weighs about 600 kg. They get on average one calf per year from the age of 3. Within one "lactation" or year, 5,000 to 8,000 liters of milk are produced - an important calculation, because it is well known that a cow only gives milk when it gives birth to a calf.

The original brown cattle is bred for a so-called "two-sided" use, namely milk as well as meat. This means that equal attention is paid to a good milk yield as well as above-average muscling and suitability for fattening. Original Brown Swiss Cattle are robust, resistant and adaptable and are particularly suitable for grazing in the lowlands and mountains. Also the longevity of the animals is a special feature as well as the long milk yield: The Allgäuer Braunvieh has one of the longest lives of all intensive breeds in Germany. The fur-color of the animals varies from mouse-gray until dark brown. The tops of the horns are dark. The so-called "Flotzmaul", the transition from nose-entrance and waiter-lip, is dark with a white hemline. The bulls are generally darker than the cows. Compared to the modern Brown Swiss, the Original Brown Swiss is shorter and smaller, but has more meat on the ribs.