[2] The Telemarkfe is a traditional population of dairy cattle of the county of Telemark in central southern Norway.

It was first characterised as a breed in 1856, when it was the subject of a cattle show organised in Kviteseid by Johan Lindeqvist, a Swede who had been appointed state agronomist for Norway.

[5][6][7][8] The cattle were shown again at the first national agricultural show in Seljord in 1866 – an event that developed into the annual Dyrsku'n.

[7][5] During the second half of the nineteenth century it spread – partly as a result of official encouragement – beyond the confines of Telemark and Oppland to most of eastern and southern Norway.

[7] Other breeding centres were established in several areas, among them: Hallingdal in the county of Buskerud; Hardanger and Voss in Hordaland, now part of Vestland; and Tynset in Hedmark and Valdres in Oppland, now both in Innlandet.