Currently, the breed is registering over 28,400
head per year and is growing at a phenomenal rate each year. At a
time when most breeds are registering fewer numbers, the Salers breed
is continuing to increase by producing profit oriented cattle for
the industry.
The historical journey for the Salers breed,
was first recorded by archaeologists as depicted from ancient drawings
in cave dwellings dated some 7,000 years ago.
The drawings were found near Salers, a small
medieval town in the center of France. These drawings and the Salers
cattle of today, which are very different from all other French breeds,
bear some resemblance to the ancient Egyptian red cattle.
With such a unique background, the breed is
considered to be one of the oldest and most genetically pure of all
European breeds. This fact produces a marked positive effect on the
predictability of Salers in crossbreeding programs.
Salers cattle are now known to be native to
the Auvergne region of south central France. This isolated, mountainous
area noted for its rough, rocky terrain and harsh, damp climate is
characterized by poor soil and a wide range of temperatures throughout
the summer and long winter.
As the topography allowed for little cereal
grain production, the Salers cattle were forced to become foragers
with bred-in range-ability to utilize, almost entirely, native grasses
in summer and hay in winter.
Until modern times Salers cattle were respected
not only as beef animals, but as milk producers for cheese products
and were also utilized as strong sources of animal power.
Salers cattle are typically horned and dark
mahogany red in color, however a growing number of polled and black
Salers are available. The availability of polled genetics in addition
to both red and black, gives Salers the advantage of breeding program
flexibility.
In the late 1960's and early 1970's, North
American cattlemen were looking for new breeds to improve American
beef cattle. In their search, a group of Canadians and Americans were
impressed by Salers in France and eventually imported the first Salers
bull, Valliant, into Canada in 1972.
His semen was sold both in the United States
and Canada and a new chapter in efficient beef production was about
to begin.
Grassroots cattlemen were the breed's U.S.
founders. They felt the cattle should prove themselves under the tough
rigors and conditions of the commercial cattle industry before Salers
were widely marketed.
The breed was equal to the challenge. Salers
created a strong market interest and excitement within the commercial
cattle industry. This led to the historical formation of the American
Salers Association in 1974 by 14 innovative and progressive cattlemen
in Minneapolis, Minn.
The first imports directly into the United
States came in 1975 with the arrival of 1 bull and 4 heifers. From
1975 to 1978, 52 heifers and 6 bulls reached the United States and
more than 100 arrived in Canada. These cattle are the foundation of
the breed in North America.
With more than a decade of solid growth behind
it, the Salers breed continues to make lasting contributions to modern
commercial cattle production.
Documented proof of the breed's attributes
of calving ease, maternal efficiency and carcass merit, through recognized
research institutions and universities, assure Salers a bright future
and a viable role in beef cattle production. The "balanced breed"
is meeting, and will continue to meet, the needs of the beef industry.
Reference:
American Salers Association, 7383 S. Alton
Way, Suite # 103, Englewood, CO 80112
Photographs:
Dr. Robert Kropp, Oklahoma State University
