Breed in Czech Republic

During the first half of the 19th century, a great number of cattle breeds and cattle strains were bred in the what is now the Czech Republic. The original domestic cattle, typical for central Europe is called Cervinky. These animals were bred on the gentry and church estates. The Cervinky cattle were upgraded by crossing them with imported animals, which came mainly from area of Austria. Since the second half of the 19th century, a Simmental cattle was imported in increasing numbers from Switzerland. At the close of the19th century, the Fleckvieh cattle were living in many areas of the Czech Republic. In 1920, the records of the breeding of pied cattle were consolidated. Some of the top European bulls were bred with cows to start new lines of animals in Bohemia.
In the post-war years after 1945 the breeding of Fleckvieh cattle was oriented towards the goal of producing offspring with triple performance qualities. More than 1/3 of animals was used for draft purposes.
This influenced the type of animals who would be the most desirable as well as defining what would be their ideal performance parameters. But, these animals were not able to conform to the desired trait of higher animal body density. Because of this, the population was during the 70 and 80ties upgraded by using Ayshires, and later, Red Holstein cattle with the aim to improve the milk production. The percentage of upgraded animals was from 25% to 37%. However, these cross breedings were not entirely successful, as the breeders realised later.

The development during last 15 years, since the iron curtain fall, turns back to the pure breed system of breeding using the best bulls from Austria, Germany, Italy and France as well as traditional domestic lines. In the harmonization of the breeding program is the Czech Republic working very close with above mentioned countries. The main goal is the classical dual purpose cattle with excellent milk and beef production

1,397,000 animals, of which 574,000 are cows
Dairy cows: 433,000, of which 48.5 % is Fleckvieh
Beef cows: 141,000 of which about 55 % is Fleckvieh

Fleckvieh milk production
2004: 5,854 - 3.42 - 200 - 4.16
2006: 6,175 - 3.46 - 213 - 4.08