Direction of use
The Pinzgauer is a dual-purpose dairy breed and/or a beef breed. It can also be used for crossbreeding with beef- and milk breeds with an excellent capacity to adapt and suitability for pasturing. The highly developed maternal instinct and calm temperament of the Pinzgauer cattle make them an increasingly important breed for suckling herds.
The current breeding goal consists of 35% milk, 15% beef and 50% fitness. The goal in milk production is 6,000kg of milk with 4.0% fat and 3.5% protein.
Furthermore, great importance is attached to a high longevity, enormous resistance and health.
Statistics & Distribution
- Worldwide: on 4 continents
- Europe: in more than 10 countries
- Austria: 39,000 animals
- Breed proportion: 2%
This race is mainly spread throughout Austria and Eastern Europe. The Pinzgauer are kept as a beef breed in Germany, especially in the south east of Upper Bavaria and in the eastern states. There are individual populations, amongst others, in South Africa.
Figures
Ø Milk performance: 5,616 kg – 3.88% F – 3.27% P (305 days)
Ø Beef performance:
Daily weight gain (g) | ||
---|---|---|
200 days | 365 days | |
M | 1 137.4 | 994.4 |
F | 1 054.3 | 863.7 |
Control Farms (Herds): 1,626
Height (cm, Ø): 142
Weight (kg, Ø): 675
Animals in control farms: 19,959
Registered cows: 9,493
Origin: Salzburg (A)
History
800 B.C.: Ancestors of the Pinzgauer cattle came with the Celts to today`s primary breeding area in the Hohen Tauern in Salzburg
19th century: Origin of the breed as a result of crossbreeding cattle from Valais with indigenous Austrian breeds
The Pinzgauer was a classic three-purpose breed cattle, which was bred for milk and beef and because of its pulling strength. In the 19th century, the breeding focused mainly on strong draught animals which were needed in agriculture.
1820: Exports to what is today Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the Austro-Hungarian monarchy it was already the most common breed
End of 19th century: Establishment of the first breeding associations, definition of the Pinzgauer breed
1896: First Herd Book
1939 - 1945: Pinzgauer breeders lost their autonomy, restriction of all breeding activities
1950: Establishment „Working group of the Pinzgauer“
1957: Most common cattle breed in Austria
1965 - 1971: Removal of breed restrictions due to changes in the animal breeding law, the result was the use of Red Friesian blood and, therefore, an improvement in the milk yield, udder shape and milkability
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