The Pinzgauer is a breed of cattle from the Pinzgau region in Austria. It has distinctive coloring, with chestnut-brown sides and a white back and underside. The Pinzgauer was originally raised for meat, milk, and as a draft animal. Today it is primarily used for beef production. Pinzgauers are large animals that can reach weights up to 1000kgs (2200 lbs). They are calm and docile creatures that thrive on alpine pastures at high altitudes where they feed on grasses year-round.
The Austro-German alpine regions are the place of origin of this breed. Also, the name takes it through the valley of Pinzgau, province of Salzburg, Austria. This breed is found at altitudes ranging from 500 to 2.500 m.s.
Characteristics of Pinzgauer Cattle
Pinzgauer cattle is a very old breed, it is believed to be the result of crosses between Celtic cattle, Simmenthal cattle, and Stained mountain cattle. The area in which this livestock is currently exploited in Austria is concentrated around Salzburg, the eastern part of Steiermark, eastern Tyrol, and Carinthia. The largest concentration of these animals is in an area of the Alps of northern Austria, in whose center rises the Glockner Glockner with its 3,798 meters.
The animals live in the valleys and on the lower slopes of the mountains at altitudes of 500 to 1,500 meters, but they graze at heights of up to 2,500 meters in the summer. In the valleys are alluvial and colluvial soils with appreciable quantities of clay in the upper strata. While in the mountains the brown podsolic soils are more common. For a long time, these animals have been used as draft beasts on farms and their muscular development.
As well as the resistance and durability of their hooves, they allow them to work long hours on rough floors. Its wide and deep body and its well-arched ribs give them a wide capacity to use rough forages. And its skeleton, strong and wide, allows the development of an abundant musculature. Naturally, the size and the weight depending on the feeding and for that reason in the valleys, they are not equal that in the mountainous slopes more elevated.
The color is typical of this breed, walnut coffee, and white, the pattern of distribution is as follows. The head and neck are brown as well as the sides of the thorax and abdomen. The white color appears from the cross to the tail, descends through the haunch and udder and projects down the lower abdomen to the sternum. You may also like to read Hereford Cattle.
The dark limbs to the hock and the elbow. The skin is loose and elastic and is pigment in areas where the hair is dark. Also, the skin of this breed is highly prized in the shoe and tanning industry. The adult cows weigh 600 kg and the males weigh 915 kg. The racial average is located at 4,500 kg per lactation. Lateral horns in the males; in females, they tend to bend forward and up.
Usage
Pinzgauer cattle is a double purpose and/or meat breed with special emphasis on milk production. It also serves for commercial crossing with breeds of meat and milk. It has unbeatable adaptability in general and, especially, the grass. You may also like to read Dexter Cattle.
Food
Pinzgauer cattle their feeding level and management systems are extremely variable. And they oscillate between a diet incomplete stable regime throughout the year, even in the valleys. Up to a more normal system of summer grazing and stabling in the winter. The general feeding modalities are analogous. Although in the lowlands these cattle are exploited. Mainly as producers of milk and meat, they are used for work both in the valleys and in the mountains.
Special Feature
Pinzgauer cattle is mountain cattle, or cool temperate, although it supports torrid summers well. It is found in Germany, Austria and Italy and exports are known to other continents. However, it does not seem to have a notable impact and it is doubtful that it will be projected with the success of other competitive breeds. You may also like to read Simmental Cattle.
The Pinzgauer cow is capable of producing a satisfactory milk yield under low input feeding conditions and in difficult environments. These animals are excellent slaughter animals and it is very common to raise young oxen for meat production. They fatten satisfactorily grazed or stabled and at 3 years of age give a 55 to 65 percent yield to the carcass and an approximate live weight of 900 kilograms.
The males of this breed are used for work at 2 years of age, but the females can reach 4 years before using them for this purpose. They are docile and calm-tempered animals and work from 4 to 7 hours per day in all kinds of agricultural tasks for 80 to 100 days per year. They can withstand great efforts and work in a wide variety of climatic and soil conditions.
FAQ
What are the characteristics of Pinzgauer cattle?
Pinzgauer cattle are a unique species of Alpine mountain cows that have been bred in the Austrian, Swiss, Czech and Slovak regions since the early 1900s. These cattle have adapted to their environment very well over time and there are many important characteristics that define them.
What is the size of Pinzgauer cattle?
Pinzgauer cattle are medium-sized, dual-purpose cattle that originated in the mountainous region of Austria. They are typically around 4–5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh from 1,000–1,400 pounds as adults. In terms of overall size, these cows tend to be larger than other breeds such as Highland or Dexter cows but smaller than Brown Swiss or Holstein cows.
How much do Pinzgauer cattle weigh?
Pinzgauer cattle are a rare medium-sized breed of beef and dual-purpose cattle that originated in Austria. They range between 1250-1550 pounds (567 to 704 kg) when fully grown, with the average weight being 1400 pounds (635 kg). This makes them more similar in size to Brown Swiss and Murray Grey cattle than most modern European breeds such as Holstein Friesian and Angus.
Conclusion
The Pinzgauer is a breed of domestic cattle from the Pinzgau region of the federal state of Salzburg in Austria. It was in the past a triple-purpose breed, raised for meat, milk and draught use. They have distinctive coloring with chestnut-brown sides and white back and underside – making them very easy to identify! If you’ve been looking for more information on this rare breed then we hope that this guide has helped answer some questions about what makes these cows so special. Good luck finding your perfect Pinzgauer cow today!
As a reference: Wikipedia
