Identify Brown Swiss Cattle
This is an in-depth guide of how to identify Brown Swiss Cattle. Brown Swiss is a dairy breed, and the third popular breed used in dairy operations.
Contents
Steps
- Do a search on the Internet, or look in your cattle breeds book, for "Brown Swiss".
- Study the characteristics of the breed. Note the following:
- Colouration: Brown Swiss (also abbreviated by BS) range in a deep brown that is almost black, to a light greyish brown. Cows and bulls can have lighter points above the eyes (where their "eyebrows" might be) on either side of the poll, sometimes taking up the entire forehead in a V-shape. Light points are also found around the nose, on the lips and sometimes just below the eye - though most BS don't have light points around the eyes like Jerseys do. They are lighter on the legs than the rest of the body and also have a lighter udder/scrotum than the rest of their body. BS cattle tend to be lighter in the ears as well. Bulls that are almost black will have a lighter saddle in the middle of their back similar to Jersey bulls, only the saddle is more of a greyish-brown than fawn. Cows and bulls that are a lighter brown (in between too dark and too light) will always be darker from their heads to the shoulders. Brown Swiss will also have a dark tail switch, dark hooves, deep brown eyes and a black nose.
- Body type and characteristics: Brown Swiss cattle are a dairy breed, with a more angular body shape than their beef counterparts, the Braunvieh breed. Like Holsteins, Jerseys and Milking Shorthorns, they have very large udders, and can be quite thin due to their genetics pushing them to put most of their energy into milk production than into muscle and fat. Brown Swiss are larger than Jerseys, and slightly smaller than Holsteins, though some may argue that Brown Swiss are around the same size.
- Head characteristics: Brown Swiss tend to have a long face like Holsteins do, and can be polled or horned. Their poll can be quite sharp and can overhang slightly, further enhanced by the hair that grows on there. A BS's ears tend to be a little long, though not as long as a Brahman's, and they can have a dished-looking face similar to the Jersey. A Brown Swiss cow's head is very feminine and refined, making her look quite pretty.
- Other characteristics: Brown Swiss don't produce as much milk as Holsteins do, but can produce around 90 pounds per day. The Brown Swiss breed is originally from Switzerland, and are thus remarkably adapted to mountainous and rugged terrain in the Swiss Alps.
- Memorize the details and characteristics of this breed.
- Go on a field trip or road trip and see if you can find farms and ranches with BS cattle. Take pictures of what you thought were Brown Swiss cattle, and compare them with pictures of Brown Swiss on the Internet and in your cattle breeds book.
Tips
- Try not to get Brown Swiss confused with Jerseys. Brown Swiss do have some similar markings as Jerseys do, but the primary coat colouration of a BS is greyish-brown, not fawn. Brown Swiss are also larger than Jerseys.
Warnings
- Brown Swiss bulls may be dangerous, though slightly less than a Jersey bull, so be careful when visiting a pasture-full of brown swiss cattle.
