The Practical
Breed
About
500 AD., Alpine herdsmen, who ran their cattle on small, widely scattered,
rocky pastures, had begun to develop a breed of red and white cattle
from the native red Bavarian cattle.
These
early cattlemen selected animals that could withstand the harsh conditions
and still produce meat and milk. Farmers in the highly productive
valleys and other lush areas of Bavaria, developed larger, brown and
spotted (flecked) breeds of cattle from the same original, native
seedstock.
Later
in history, Pinzgauer attained their present form and color. The designation
"Pinzgauer" drives from the "Pinzgau" district in the province of
Salzburg, Austria, and appears for the first time in documents of
the 1600's.
Herd books
dated in the 1700's show that selective breeding had been going on
for some time, and there are records of exportations of "Pinzgauer
Cattle" to Rumania, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia in the 1820's. In
1871 Pinzgauer cattle were sent to the Paris World Exhibition.
In the
early 1900's, a number of breeding cattle were exported to South Africa,
which has the second largest herd of fullblood animals in the world
today.
Milk
Yield
The milk
productivity of Pinzguaer cows is on average 4,000/5,000 kg of milk.
The good capacity for eating large amounts of food, good temperament,
maternal instinct and remarkable fertility are important elements
for justifying using the Pinzguaer breed also for breeding nursing
cows.
Beef
production
With an
intensive fattening the average daily weight increase is about 1,400
g with a slaughter yield of 56-58%. The good meat quality, with first
rate marbling, fine fiber and light red color satisfy consumer requirements.
Beef
Program
The first
attempts at Pinzguaer selection date back to the 18th century. In
1989 the inbreeding programs "Pinzguaer 2000" and "Moet
programs" were integrated to develop the double aptitude of the
breed, without forsaking such aspects such as resistance and energy.
Characteristics
Horned or
Polled, Pinzgauers have pigmented skin under a chestnut red coat and
white markings on the back, tail and barrel. They adapt readily and
easily to a variety of climates. Eye problems are rare. Smooth hair
and firm, flexible skin prevents tick and other insect infestations.
Mature
bulls average 2000 pounds and up, while mature females level out at
approximately 1,000 to 1,600 pounds.
More moderately
sized in relation to the "big is better" theory, Pinzgauer progeny
still have above average weaning weights, gainability and feed conversion,
but they maintain the easy calving ability that cattlemen prefer.
Udders are well-formed and hold up well during lactation.
North
American Entry
The first
four head of Pinzgauer were imported into Canada in September 1972.
Austrian Fullbloods were first imported to the USA in 1976. Live animals,
frozen embryos, and semen all have been imported to establish fullblood
herds and to upgrade the Purebred Pinzgauers.
Pinzgauer
as we know them today are the result of rigid performance and registry
demands. The American Pinzgauer Association has a breeding-up program
which allows a producer to breed up to Purebred Pinzgauer (7/8 for
females, 15/16 for bulls) by starting with commercial cows and using
Pinzgauer bulls.
At the
end of 1989, there were over 30,000 Fullblood and Purebred Pinzgauers
in the United States, giving the cattlemen a world wide genetic base
on which to build a Pinzgauer herd.
Reference:
Briggs,
H.M. & D.M. Briggs. Modern Breeds of Livestock. Fourth Edition.
Macmillan Publishing Co. 1980
Mason,
I.L, World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Third edition (1988),
C.A.B International
Promotional
materials, American Pinzgauer Association, Jenera, OH
Photographs:
American
Pinzgauer Association, Jenera, OH
Video:
American
Pinzgauer Association, Jenera, OH
