German Black Pied Cattle are a breed of dairy cattle that originated in the North Sea coast regions of northern Germany and the Netherlands.
Until the 18th century cattle of diverse colours were bred in these regions. After 1750 the black pied coloured type was dominant. But there are still unicoloured red and red pied cattle as well.
In 1878 in East Frisia (Germany), the first breeding company was founded. After that, East Frisia and East Prussia (today Russia, Lithuania, and Poland) were the most important breeding regions of the breed. Later they extended over whole of northern and central Germany.
Since 1958 in West Germany the breed was crossed the first time with Holstein Friesian Cattle. Since the 1960s these crossed animals have been dominant, and so the German Holstein Friesian Cattle breed was born.
In East Germany the breed was crossed with Jersey Cattle and Holstein Friesian Cattle and created the Black Pied Dairy Cattle race.
The original breeding type was conserved in East Germany as a genetic reserve. Individual breeders in West Germany and in the Netherlands were able conserve the original type, too.
German Black Pied Cattle are smaller than the Holstein Friesian Cattle with a lower milk volume, but they are more fertile and long-lived.
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