CHAPTER XIII 

 BROWN SWISS 



The breed of cattle known in America as tlie Brown Swiss 

 is probably the oldest pure breed in this country, if not in the 

 world. Their origin is shrouded by the mists of the early dawn 

 of the human race in Europe. Though some believe that the 

 race is of Oriental origin it is practically certain that animals 

 much of the type of the present Brown Swiss have inhabited the 

 Alpine region since before human history began. Bemnants of 

 all sorts of animals and crude tools have been found in the mud 

 in the bottoms of the lakes. There, amid the charred posts of 

 the early lake dwellings of human inhabitants, cattle skulls of 

 the short, broad type of the present Brown Swiss have been 

 found. So far as we are concerned the Brown Swiss cattle have 

 always lived where they are now found, in the valleys and on 

 the mountain sides of Switzerland. 



Though the Brown Swiss is the most important and by far 

 the best known breed in America of all breeds having originated 

 in Switzerland, there is another, the large spotted Simmenthaler 

 or Fleckvieh breed of more importance in the home country. 

 Aside from these two major, some minor breeds or variations 

 have developed in the various valleys where the stock has been 

 kept for ages with little admixture from without. 



Home Conditions — Switzerland, that mountainous little 

 republic in southern Europe, comprises less than 16,000 square 

 miles and of this only about 70 per cent is productive. The hill- 

 side pastures are steep, making grazing laborious, but the grass 

 growing in patches is usually well watered from the snows above. 

 It is the custom there to turn the stock onto pastures as early as 

 possible in the spring on the low levels and as the season advances 

 and grass becomes green at higher altitudes, the cows are driven 

 to pastures up on the mountain side ; later to a yet higher plain. 

 They are not brought back daily, but the milkmaid or man fol- 

 lows the herd. Every morning and every night the fresh milk 

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