German Red Pied
In its own language: Deutsche Rotbunte
A red pied lowland breed from Germany, shaped in several regions
The German Red Pied is a lowland cattle breed from Germany, known in German as Deutsche Rotbunte. Breeders in several German regions shaped it during the 1800s, and in 1934 the Meuse-Rhine-Issel was crossed in. Cows stand about 1.35 m and weigh some 700 kg, while bulls reach 1.45 m and 1,000 kg.
- A red pied lowland cattle breed from Germany
- Cows average about 1.35 m at the withers and 700 kg
- Bulls average about 1.45 m and 1,000 kg
- Developed in more than one German region in the 19th century
- In 1934 the Meuse-Rhine-Issel was crossed in
What do German Red Pied cattle look like?
The German Red Pied, or Deutsche Rotbunte, is a lowland breed from Germany. Its German names say what it looks like: rot is red, bunt is patched, and Niederung is flat country, so Rotbuntes Niederungsvieh means red pied lowland cattle. It is a humpless European type. Cows stand around 1.35 m at the withers, the ridge between the shoulders, and weigh about 700 kg. Bulls are larger at roughly 1.45 m and 1,000 kg, which puts the breed among the bigger European cattle.
Where does the German Red Pied come from?
German Red Pied cattle come from Germany. The breed was shaped in the 19th century, and it was not the work of one district: several German regions each bred red pied stock of their own, and those local lines were later gathered under a single breed name. In 1934 the Meuse-Rhine-Issel was crossed in, the one outside input named for the breed. Its German names, Deutsche Rotbunte, Rotbuntes Niederungsvieh and Rotbuntes Niederungsrind, all describe the same red pied lowland animal.
How the German Red Pied is bred and kept
Breeders worked on the German Red Pied in more than one region through the 1800s, so the breed came together from separate local herds rather than from a single estate or valley. The later landmark is 1934, when the Meuse-Rhine-Issel was drawn on to widen the red pied stock. That cross links the German cattle to a related lowland type. Those two stages, the 19th-century work and the 1934 crossing, are the steps named in the breed's making.
German Red Pied, drawn
The land and climate of the German Red Pied
The breed is named for low ground. Niederung in Rotbuntes Niederungsvieh means the flat country, so these are cattle of the German lowlands and not of hill or mountain farms. The build is heavy: a cow of about 1.35 m and 700 kg is a large animal for level farmland, and the bulls are heavier still.
Questions people ask about German Red Pied
Where does the German Red Pied come from?
It comes from Germany, where it was developed during the 19th century in more than one region. In 1934 the Meuse-Rhine-Issel was crossed in. Its German names are Deutsche Rotbunte, Rotbuntes Niederungsvieh and Rotbuntes Niederungsrind.
What is it kept for?
It is farm cattle, kept as livestock in Germany. Its German name Rotbuntes Niederungsvieh means red pied lowland cattle, the flat-country type of the German lowlands, and the breed was developed over the 19th century as stock of that kind.
How big does it grow?
Cows average about 1.35 m at the withers, the ridge between the shoulders, and weigh around 700 kg. Bulls average about 1.45 m and 1,000 kg. In feet and inches that is roughly 4 ft 5 in for cows and 4 ft 9 in for bulls.
What colour is it?
Red and white, in patches. The German name says so: Rotbunte means red pied, and Rotbuntes Niederungsvieh adds the lowland part, for the flat country where these cattle belong. Rotbuntes Niederungsrind is the same name with the word for the animal at the end.
Good reading and sources
- Deutsche Rotbunte on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Deutsche Rotbunte", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryCow rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Sizes, colours and customs differ from one herd, valley or breeder to the next. Folk beliefs are described as tradition, never as advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-16.
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