The Evolène is an endangered breed from the Swiss canton Valais.

 

Characteristics

Evolène cattle are mostly pied red, but sometimes pied black, with a medium build. Their small limbs with strong but thin bones give a good slaughter yield, and they are able to produce about 3,200 kilograms of milk per year, so the breed is used as both a milk and meat breed.

 

Both males and females are horned, and they are well adapted to Swiss climates and mountain pastures. They are also muscular, with visibly defined neck muscles in the cow.

 

These muscles lend to their aggressive and temperamental personality, with cows fighting to determine hierarchy for a very long time.

 

Evolène bulls are, on average, 130 cm tall. The cows are within the range of 115 to 125 cm. Cows weigh somewhere between 400 to500 kilograms, and the bulls weigh 600 to 700 kilograms.

 

 

References

Endangered Domestic Animal Breeds 1995, Pro Species Rara, Engelgasse 12a, CH-9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland. German translation provided by John te Velde, Associate Professor of German at Oklahoma State University.