Roodbont
(most common name)

(transboundary/brand name):
• Holstein (red and white)
local/other name (English):
• Belgian Red Pied
• Campine Red Pied (until 1971)
• Red-and-White Campine (until 1971)
local/other name (Flemish):
• Kempen (until 1971)
• Roodbont Kempisch (until 1971)
• Roodbont ras van België
local/other name (French):
• Pie-rouge de Belgique
• Pie-rouge de Campine (until 1971)
• Pied-Rouge
• Rouge-pie Campinoise (until 1971)

The breed that became the Roodbont primarily began development in 1838 in northeastern Belgium by crossing the Meuse-Rhine-Yssel (MRY) with local cattle known as the ‘Kempense ras’ (see below). These upgraded cattle became almost identical to the MRY. Some Shorthorn blood was also added to the mix from 1844–1851.

Besides the Roodbont, a separate population of upgraded Kempense ras was also kept.

‘Pie rouge de l`Est de la Belgique’ (see below) was the name given to local cattle that were also improved using Meuse-Rhine-Yssel in Eupen and Malmédy.

Historically, both the Pie rouge de l`Est de la Belgique and the Kempense ras were included in the population count of the Roodbont. However, both these breeds are now extinct (since 1971) since no breeders were willing to conserve them after a complete Red Holstein gene infusion into the entire Roodbont population occurred.

(Dutch) roodbont = red pied

Different names for the same historical breed ‘Kempense ras’:
• (English) Campine Red Pied
• (English) Red-and-White Campine
• (Dutch) Kempense ras
• (French) Campinoise
• (French) Pie Rouge de Campine
• (French) Pie-rouge de Campine
• (French) Rouge-pie Campinoise
• (Flemish) Kempen
• (Flemish) Roodbont Kempisch

Different names for the same historical breed ‘Pie rouge de l`Est de la Belgique’:
• (English) Eastern Red Pied
• (French) Pie rouge Ardennes-Liège
• (French) Pie rouge de l`Est
• (French) Pie rouge de l`Est de la Belgique
• (French) Pie rouge du Pays de Herve

This page was last updated on: 2023-09-29

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