Breeds of The Simmental
A valley of the Bernese Oberland whose red and white cattle became one of the most numerous breeds on earth.
Breeds of this place
Best time: June to September.
The Simmental is the valley of the river Simme in the Bernese Oberland, between Spiez and Zweisimmen. Its cattle, red or gold and white, were large, strong and good for milk, beef and work. From the nineteenth century they were exported across Europe and beyond, and under many names, Simmental, Fleckvieh, Montbéliarde, they became one of the most widespread cattle types in the world.
The breed
Simmental cattle are large, with red to yellow patches on white and a white head. They are triple-purpose in origin, used for milk, meat and draught. In Germany and Austria the type became the Fleckvieh, and in eastern France the Montbéliarde, bred from cattle brought by Swiss Mennonite settlers. In the Americas and Australia, the breed is mostly used for beef.
The valley
Farms in the valley send their herds up to alpine pastures in summer. Livestock shows and markets, in the valley and at Thun on the lake below, have long drawn buyers for breeding animals. The valley's wooden farmhouses are richly carved and painted.
A trail idea for The Simmental
- Zweisimmen The main village at the head of the valley.
- Boltigen A valley village of carved wooden houses.
- Alpine pastures Summer grazing above the valley.
- Thun The lakeside town below the valley.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Zweisimmen" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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