The following points describe each component of the typical Braunvieh
animal.
Colour
Colour is mid grey brown with distinct creamy white ear hair and muzzle.
Males usually darker (not black) with cream areas not so pale as the female.
The under body and legs are usually paler than the upper body. Young calves
are silver or grey.
Consideration must be given to factors influencing the coat such as gender,
climate, season, health, age and genetics. Noting these factors, the ideal
coat in a mild climate should be smooth, straight and medium length. The
tail has a substantial size brush being brown or darker than the main body
colour.
Skin
The skin can be thick but still remain pliable. Nose, tongue and eyelids are
grey to dark grey with remaining areas grey or tanned. Dewlap is more
apparent on the neck than the navel.
Head
The breed is naturally horned. Polled
or scurred animals are acceptable in the Herdbook, and dehorned, polled,
scurred or horned animals may be shown without prejudice. The ears are
larger and set more at right angles to the head with a slight droop but
alert. The eyes are large and dark with a well developed eyebrow.
Overall head length is medium and not extreme in width. Muzzle is broad with
large open nostrils and strong even jaw.
Neck
The neck is medium in length. A dewlap is a common characteristic in males
and females and indicates skin mobility with adaptability to climate
extremes.
Chest
The chest should be broad and deep. Shoulders evenly laid into the body and
not extending above the spine.
Body
Should show good spring of ribs and depth. A moderate navel dewlap is
acceptable. Back should be strong and level to hip with a slight slope from
hip to pins. Wide at pins and rump broad with well developed muscle on rump
and thighs.
Legs
Front legs straight, with laid back shoulder and good spacing between knees.
Back legs strong, well fleshed and good spacing between hocks. The stifle
should extend well forward giving a deep flank and range of suspension in
the walk. The hock should be clearly defined between the tendon and bone
giving length of stride and balanced gait.
Feet
May be large but maintaining correct angle and good depth of heel while not
being either turned in or out. Hooves are dark grey in colour with no light
stripes.
In general, females need to appear feminine with medium muscling and
particular attention to sound udder structure and capacity for which the
breed is noted.
Males must be masculine with well developed muscle and reproductive organs.
Braunvieh Breed
Standard part 2
Varying from the ideal but acceptable
- lower eyelid may be light brown or tan
- excessive size or lack of size
- excessive fat
- small amount of white on underbelly
- rump flat with insufficient slope from hip to pin
- lack of spring of rib or flat sided
- fine bone
- bulls with a pale colour along spine
- Black Braunvieh may be registered but designated as such on the pedigree
and entered in a separate section of the herdbook.
Undesirable
- bad temperament
- white tail switch
- white patches on body, face or legs
- "open eye" little or no eyebrow with no channel
- straight or protruding shoulder blade
- "post leg" too straight from the stifle to the hock
- "sickle hock" hind leg too angled with stifle
- weak pasterns with insufficient depth of heel
- hocks too close from rear view
- feet toe in, toe out or uneven
- uneven testes
- poor rump or eye muscle development
- uneven udder symmetry
- pendulous udder with weak attachment
- funnel or bottle shaped teats
These defects may be present in all groups of cattle and it should be
understood that the incidence of faults in Braunvieh is quite low due to the
long time selection for functional traits. The complexity of genetics
includes various degrees of a trait to be exhibited, which may not be shown
by simply the presence or absence of one trait.
It is not all black or white, but shades of brown.
This Breed Standard intends to provide a guide to assess an ideal Braunvieh
animal.
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Australian Braunvieh
