Product name : Dairy Cow-Fleckvieh

Item : C-06

Breeding aims

The breeding aims now are focused on a "middle of the road type animal" with excellent muscling, good milk production and draught performance. Therefore an excellent performance testing system and a strict breeding programme exists. This systematic improvement of the production traits makes Fleckvieh a modern, high productive dual purpose breed that fits the economical needs of today.

Standard of excellence for Fleckvieh cattle

Female

Feminine appearance, wedge-shaped outline, especially when in milk, neither over-developed muscling, nor massive and heavy, no excessive fat deposit on any part of the body, well developed genital organs, heifers must show good udder and teat development.

Male

Strong, masculine with good general muscle development particularly on forearm, shoulder, eye muscle and hind quarter; no excessive fat particularly in the flanks, brisket and around the tailhead; testes well developed and of uniform size, sheath not pendulous. Older bulls develop heavier and more muscular in the forequarter. Hair on the neck and head longer and coarser than females.

Type and Balance

A dual purpose animal possessing a great measure of good beef and milk producing characteristics. Sex characteristics must be clearly visible and animals must have good frame, length, breadth, depth, capacity, balance and symmetry. Bulls more muscular than females.

Temperament

Calm and placid, yet alert.

Skin and Hair

Thick, ample, pliable and loose skin with short glossy hair with due allowance for the season and age.

Colour and Pigmentation

Adequate pigmentation, hair colour may vary from dark to cream with white spots or patches in any pattern or even speckles irregularly spread over the body. Animals must have a white spot or blaze on the forehead with the underline predominantly white and white in the switch. Legs may be entirely coloured.

Size and Weight

Animals must be well grown for their age.

Head

• Head: Adequate breadth, of medium length, slightly dished between the eyes.
• Forehead: Good breadth between the eyes tapering slightly towards the poll.
• Eyebrows: Prominent, large with pliable, thick wrinkled skin around the eyes.
• Muzzle: Wide, oval and strong; Muzzle to be flesh-coloured or brown - blue spots on the muzzle are permissible.
• Mouth: Wide and strong with broad lips
• Nostrils: Large and oval
• Teeth: Large and strong, incisors fitting well against pad
• Horns: Of good quality and texture, no discrimination against dehorned or naturally polled animals
• Ears: Large, flexible fine texture, covered with long hair along the upper inner section
• Eyes: Large, bright with placid expression and flexible eyelids. Pigmented eyelids are desirable.
• Jaws: Deep and strong, well developed and cheeks not fleshy

Neck

Medium length and deep, strongly attached to the head and shoulders. More developed in the bull. Skin of the neck loose with deep folds with the dewlap extending from below the jaw to behind the brisket.

Forequarter / Shoulders

Shoulder-blade to slope slightly forward from top to bottom with the desired rounding and strong muscle attachment to the chest, withers and neck. Good width between the shoulder points, however not prominent. Chest depth in proportion to wither height, i.e. good relative chest depth and width. Well muscled forearm in bulls.

Centre Piece

Long, wide and deep with good spring of rib (i.e. capacity), well blended into fore- and hindquarter.

• Back: Straight, long, broad with full muscling. Viewed from the side, the topline will not necessarily be straight due to prominent loin muscle development, particularly in bulls.
• Loin: Broad and well muscled.
• Ribs: Broad, long and well sprung, slanting slightly to the rear.

Hindquarter

Long, wide and deep, with well developed muscles joining the hindquarter firmly to the centerpiece. In the bull, the frame is covered with muscling, while cows may show more prominence in the hips. Hips wide and in proportion to the rest of the body. Good thurl - and pinbone width. Rump long and wide, with a slight fall to the pinbones. Thighs wide, well muscled, extending below the flank to a well developed second thigh. Tailhead straight, horizontal, however, my be set slightly high. Tail long with a large switch.

Legs, Hovves, Stances and Stride

• Legs: Strong oval and widely placed to facilitate an easy and freemoving stride.
• Joints: Strong, well developed and dry.
• Hocks: Broad, strong and dry with the correct angle and a well defined hamstring.
• Pastern-joints: Strong, dry elastic with the correct angle.
• Hooves: Uniform, of medium size, oval, deep and close together. Colour cream to dark-brown.

Udder and Teats

A capacious, well attached udder of high quality, revealing high production potential, viz long broad, of moderate depth with well balanced quarters. The udder is covered with short, soft, silky hair. Pliable and elastic n texture. Heifers must display good udder and teat development.

• Teats: Uniform, cylindrical and of adequate size and length.
• Lacteal veins: Well developed, long and winding with large milk wells.

Genital Organs

Testicles firm, of equal size, well developed with a fairly short seminal cord. Controllable sheath, short to medium size, must hang diagonally to the front.

Minimum scrotal circumference: 350-400kg = 33cm; 401-500kg = 34cm; 501-600kg = 35cm and 601-650kg = 36