Hérens cattle are a small, versatile breed of cattle originating in the Swiss Alps and popular as far away as Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc, France.
It is one of the oldest cattle breeds named after the Val d’Hérens region of Switzerland. The total number of these animals has declined since World War II due to the reduction in animal husbandry in high mountain regions.
Herens cattle are primarily used for meat production and cow fighting, as well as milk production.
It was originally a sporting breed of cattle, and the leaders of the herd received special care and training in cow fighting, in which the animals competed head to head until one of them retires, the loser.
Hehren cows are well known for their aggressiveness and nowadays cow fights are the main attraction in Valais.
Blood typing shows that the animals are similar to the Tuxera breed from Zillertal in Austria, but different from other Swiss cattle breeds. The breeding standard for the breed was introduced in 1884, and in 1917 a specialized breeding union was founded.
The United States also has a tribal society. Heren cattle were often crossed with other breeds of cattle in the Alpine region.
The breed’s total population has been declining since the 1960s and at 13,500 there were approximately 13,500 animals. Learn more about the breed below.
Characteristics of Hérens cattle
Herens cattle are one of the smallest cattle breeds in Europe. They are black, brown, or dark red in color, often with a lighter stripe along the spine. Their fur is dark red to brown or black, with variegated animals being very rare.
Newborn Heren calves are red with a dark stripe down their back, and the color reverses as they grow. They have a short, wide head with a concave front line.
Bulls and cows have strong horns and muscular bodies. Cows usually reach a height of 118-128 cm, and bulls – about 125-134 cm. The average live weight of mature cows is 500-600 kg.
And the bulls weigh an average of 650-700 kg. Photos and information from Wikipedia.
Advantages
Heren cattle are versatile animals. They are mainly used for meat, cow slaughter and also for milk production.
Special Notes
Heren cattle are very strong and hardy animals. Cows are very aggressive and are used in cow fights.
The animals are well adapted to pastures in the highlands of the Alps. The breed has occasionally been used to cross other breeds of cattle in the Alpine region.
The variegated cattle from Évolène, Tux and Pustertal could be partly related to the cattle from Hérens. They are very good for meat production as well as milk.
Cows can on average produce up to 2500 kg of milk per lactation. See the complete breed profile of Herens cattle in the following table.
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| Breed name | Herens | |
| another name | Vale, Eringer (German) | |
| Purpose of the breed | Milk, meat, cow fights | |
| Special Notes | Very hardy, active, well adapted to the natural climate. | |
| Breed size | Little | |
| Bulls | 650-700 kilograms | |
| cows | 500-600 | |
| climatic tolerance | native climate | |
| coat color | Black, brown, or dark red, often with a lighter stripe down the spine | |
| horned | Yes | |
| milk production | Good | |
| scarcity | general | |
| Country/place of origin | Swiss |
