Telemark
In its own language: Telemarkfe
A small red dairy breed from Telemark in Norway, with a white cross on the back
Telemarkfe is a traditional dairy breed from Telemark county in central southern Norway. The cattle are red with white over the back in the shape of a cross, usually horned, and small, with cows about 121 cm tall; they are kept for milk and number fewer than 600.
- A dairy breed from Telemark in southern Norway, red with a white cross on the back
- First shown as a breed at Kviteseid in 1856, arranged by state agronomist Johan Lindeqvist
- The 1866 show at Seljord grew into the annual Dyrsku'n
- Fewer than 600 head in the twenty-first century; 400 animals in Norway in 2006
- Semen from more than fifty bulls is kept, with four new bulls added each year
What do Telemark cattle look like?
Telemarkfe is a dairy breed of modest size from Norway. A grown cow stands about 121 cm at the withers, the ridge between the shoulder blades, and weighs roughly 500 kg; a bull reaches about 140 cm and 700 kg. The coat is red, with white over the back in the shape of a cross, and cows may also be white underneath. The face is usually a mix of colours. Both bulls and cows normally carry horns. The breed is smaller than many modern dairy types and does not grow very large.
Where does the Telemark come from?
Telemarkfe belongs to Telemark, a county in central southern Norway, and takes its name from there. It was first described as a breed in 1856, when cattle were shown at Kviteseid by Johan Lindeqvist, a Swede serving as state agronomist for Norway. In 1866 the cattle appeared again at the first national agricultural show, held at Seljord, an event that grew into the yearly Dyrsku'n. Lindeqvist saw that they grazed well on fjord, forest and mountain ground and gave plenty of milk, and he thought they could improve mountain cattle elsewhere. With official backing the breed spread through most of eastern and southern Norway.
What the Telemark is known for
The breed is known above all as a milk producer of steady, useful yield. Lindeqvist judged that it gave a good quantity of milk and could pass that quality on to other mountain stock. It manages on fjord pasture, in woodland and on mountain grazing, which is where it was found to do well. It is not a large animal. Its red coat with the white cross over the back makes it easy to pick out.
How the Telemark is bred and kept
A breed society was set up in 1895 and a herd book opened in 1926. A breeding station was founded in 1946 at Bø in Midt-Telemark, where cows could be served by artificial insemination. Other centres followed, among them Hallingdal in Buskerud, Hardanger and Voss in Hordaland (now Vestland), Tynset in Hedmark and Valdres in Oppland (both now in Innlandet). Semen from more than fifty bulls is kept in reserve, and samples from four new bulls are added each year.
Telemark, drawn
What the Telemark is kept for
The Telemarkfe is a dairy breed, kept for its milk and little else. Lindeqvist noted that it gave a good quantity of milk and thought the stock could be used to improve mountain cattle elsewhere in Norway. It is not a large animal and has never been a beef type. The breed society, the herd book and the store of bull semen all exist to hold the milking line steady as numbers fall.
The land and climate of the Telemark
The breed is tied to the county of Telemark in central southern Norway, and in the nineteenth century it spread through most of the eastern and southern parts of the country with official encouragement. It was found to graze well on fjord ground, in forest and on mountain pasture. That mix of lowland and high ground, close to the coast and up into the hills, is the landscape it was selected in.
At a glance: where it belongs
Land and climate
Celebrations
The Telemark at fairs and festivals
Cattle shows have followed the breed since the start. In 1856 it was shown at Kviteseid, in a display arranged by Johan Lindeqvist. In 1866 it appeared at Norway's first national agricultural show at Seljord, and that gathering grew into the annual Dyrsku'n. These events are where farmers and breeders have long compared stock, and where the breed's qualities were first set down in writing.
Custom and folk tradition
Farming families in Telemark kept these cattle as a traditional population long before anyone described them as a breed. Herds grazed fjord ground, woods and mountain pasture in season. When the state took an interest in the middle of the nineteenth century, officials encouraged farmers to take the stock beyond Telemark and Oppland into the rest of eastern and southern Norway. Local breeders then organised themselves, founding a society in 1895 and a herd book in 1926.
Keeping Telemark cattle
Little is said about day to day husbandry. The cattle were found to graze well on fjord, forest and mountain ground, so they were kept at pasture rather than indoors. From 1946 a breeding station at Bø in Midt-Telemark offered artificial insemination for cows. Semen from more than fifty bulls is stored, with samples from four new bulls added every year, which keeps a wide genetic base for a small herd.
Numbers, conservation and the herd book
Numbers are small. In 2006 there were 400 animals of the breed in Norway, and the total population in the twenty-first century is put at fewer than 600 head. The FAO listed it as endangered-maintained in 2007, and DAD-IS gave the same status in 2024. A breed society has existed since 1895 and a herd book since 1926. Semen for more than fifty bulls is conserved, with four new bulls added to the reserve each year.
Questions people ask about Telemark
Where does the Telemark breed come from?
From Telemark, a county in central southern Norway. The breed takes its name from there, and in the nineteenth century it spread through much of eastern and southern Norway with official encouragement. It was shown at Kviteseid in 1856 and at Seljord in 1866.
What is it kept for?
Milk. It is a dairy breed, and the state agronomist Johan Lindeqvist recorded that it gave a good quantity of milk and could improve mountain cattle elsewhere. It does not grow large and is not a beef type.
How many Telemark cattle are left?
Fewer than 600 head in the twenty-first century, with 400 animals in Norway in 2006. The FAO classed it as endangered-maintained in 2007, and DAD-IS gave the same status in 2024.
What do they look like?
Red cattle with white over the back in the shape of a cross, and cows sometimes white underneath. The face is usually mixed in colour. Most animals have horns. Cows stand around 121 cm and weigh about 500 kg; bulls reach about 140 cm and 700 kg.
How is the breed kept going?
A breed society was founded in 1895 and a herd book started in 1926. A breeding station opened at Bø in Midt-Telemark in 1946, where artificial insemination was available. Semen from over fifty bulls is conserved, with four new bulls added each year.
Good reading and sources
- Telemarkfe on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Telemarkfe", 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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