Norman cows are renowned for their milk, particularly well suited to cheese processing. The Norman is the result of the fusion of two main local breeds, the Cotentine and the Augeronne, in the 19th century. The cows of this breed are recognizable by their black brindle, tawny blond, or quail white coat. Their belly and head are always white, but patches of color may appear around the eyes and on the muzzle. The irregular distribution of the colors makes it possible to distinguish three types of coat: quail, white with small scattered colored spots, blond, with a large russet patch that does not cover the belly, and brindle, with a patch extending to almost all the body.