The Original Braunvieh is a dual purpose dairy and beef breed from the Switzerland. Braunvieh means "brown cow" and the animals are coloured grey to brown with white ears and muzzle and have horns. These cattle have been maintained as a pure breed, while the modern Swiss Braunvieh have been crossed with Brown Swiss. They have contributed to the American Brown Swiss breed. In the 1980s breeding associations were formed in Germany and Austria to conserve the breed.