The Simmental (aka Spotted, Swiss Simmental Spotted; Tachetée rouge du Simmental and Pie rouge du Simmental in French; Simmentaler Fleckvieh and Schweizer Rotfleckvieh in German) can be traced back to the indigenous cattle of the Simme and Saane valleys of the canton of Bern in Switzerland during the 5th century.

There were several local strains that, over time, were eventually amalgamated under the general name of Simmentaler Fleckvieh.

The original various Bernese-Simmental strains of Switzerland were exported in great numbers (starting in 1480) for use in upgrading and improving many other cattle populations of the world.

See the other breeds of:
Switzerland at The Cow Wall®.