Of course
Heck cattle is not the only aurochs-like cattle breed, not at all. But how many
are there? This depends on where you draw the line. Compared with water
buffalo, even Austrian Fleckvieh is “aurochs-like”. Therefore, this
categorization is purely arbitrary. With the selection down below, I want to
present you a list of breeds which have more than just a single aurochs-like
feature (like a high-legged slender body in Chianina or huge thick horns in
Watussi), but a good representation of several primitive traits. I was also
struggling with myself about making a split between “phenotypically
aurochs-like”, “ecologically aurochs-like” and “genetically aurochs-like” (also
because sometimes I am accused of being too appearance-based), but this turns
out to be very complicated. How to define and measure “ecologically
aurochs-like”, including traits such as hardiness, heat/cold tolerance and food
needs? There are no living aurochs that can be used as a model, and there are
certainly regional differences in ecological requirements as well. The same as
with genetics: there is simply not enough data (yet) to make such a list. It
seems that the appearance of the cattle is the only really quantifiable aspect
for such a list. Furthermore, it is questionable if such a split would be
useful at all, because most, if not all, of the optically aurochs-like breeds
are very hardy and robust and would be on the other list as well.
Curraleiro bull from Brazil |
So here it
is, my top 32 of the aurochs-like cattle on this world, roughly in alphabetical order
(click on the breed if you want to see how they look like):
- Albera (Iberia)
- Alistana-Sanabresa (Iberia)
- Axarquia (Iberia)
- Barrosa/Cachena (Iberia)
- Buša cattle (Balkan)
- Caldela (Iberia)
- Camargue (France)
- Corriente/Criollo (Argentina)
- Corsicana (Corsica)
- Curraleiro (Brazil)
- Frieiresa (Iberia)
- (advanced) Heck cattle* (Central Europe)
- Lidia (derivations: Berrenda, Morucha) (Spain)
- Limia (Iberia)
- Pajuna (Iberia)
- Jersey cattle (England)
- Sayaguesa (Iberia)
- Maltese Ox (Malta)
- Maronesa (Iberia)
- Mirandesa (Iberia)
- Murnau-Werdenfelser (Germany)
- Monchina (Iberia)
- Mocanitsa (Romania)
- Pisano (Italy)
- Raca Preta (Iberia)
- Rhodopian Shorthorn/Carpathian brown (Eastern Europe)
- Steppe type cattle (Maremmana/Boskarin/Podolica, Hungarian Gray, Sykia)
- Serrana negra (Iberia)
- Terrena (Iberia)
- Tudanca (Iberia)
- Vianesa (Iberia)
* I only
include advanced Hecks here (like Taurus cattle, the Wörth lineage, or herds at
Hellabrunn or Solling-Vogler), because many of the usual Hecks are IMO not
really worth mentioning here.
Sykia cattle from Greece |
You might
be wondering why there are only taurine cattle on the list. Well, I would
include zebuine cattle here if I was aware of a breed that bears a good
resemblance to the aurochs not only in one aspect like in the miniature zebu
(colour) or Watussi (horns).
Very likely
there are also some quite aurochs-like cattle in the Near East and North
Africa, but those are virtually inaccessible to me except a few photos. Cattle
from those regions tend to be small as well.
Dear Daniel, Thank you very much for such good survey, but I don't see Grey Ukrainian, which is not only "phenotipically auroch-like", but as well "ecologically". Our scientist of the beginning of the century O.O.Brauner compared bones of auroch and Grey Ukrainian and found, that they are very similar, almost identical.
ReplyDeleteIberian Fighting cattle or Spanish Fighting cattle is actually just as Portuguese as Spanish (it´s just the Spanish version that gets nearly all the publicity though), so maybe we should say that it comes from Iberia, right?
ReplyDeleteI have read also your opinion/post about Lidia and that aspect surfaced once again...
Actually it´s not even clear from where it first was bred, if in Portugal or in Spain, but some people suggest that they were bred at around the same time in both countries.
I also noticed that you edited the part on which I think that you directed a interesting suggestion to both Portuguese and Spanish breeders of Lidia/Raça Brava to be aware of conservation of the old types still present in this breed, but now I see that also seemingly disappeared...
Bull bullfighting is an animal obtained by genetic crossings and very artificial selections seeking aggression, not the purity of the breed, so it has no characteristics at all natural and its appearance is not similar to that of the auroch. Initially as fighting bulls bulls were used some bulls that grew in total freedom, practically wild, very aggressive and of small stature, as is Monchina bull. From 1850 until 1930 it was used bulls of great size without similarity to the uro. At the moment it is a totally artificial bull obtained by genetic crossings looking for aggressiveness and selecting only the aggressive specimens, without similarity with the auroch. In Iberia there are several bovine races very similar to auroch, which were used until 1960 for work and currently for meat, such as: Alistano Sanabresa, Limia, Vianesa, Mirandesa, Maronesa, Sayaguesa and Pajunawas selected two artificial breeds obtained by genetic crossings seeking aggressiveness. The current fighting bulls have no physical resemblance to the aurochs. In Iberia if there are several bovine races very similar to uros, which were used for work and currently for meat, such as: Alistano Sanabresa, Limia, Vianesa, Mirandesa, Maronesa, Sayaguesa and Pajuna.
DeleteOf these bovine breeds the closest to the auroch are, perhaps, the Pajuna and the Limia
I'm sorry but this comment seems rather confused or is at least confusing.
DeleteSo you're saying Lidia is not "aurochs-like" because it was bred for aggression? Well, those breeds you listed were bred for agreeableness and trainability as draft breeds, for example. They are comparably docile, at least compared to a wild bovine. This is not "natural" either. So either fighting cattle are aurochs-like or no breed is aurochs-like.
Each domestic breed is artificial, by the way.
Maronesa beef is the "best beef in the world", according to an - unofficial - international competition:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.publico.pt/2020/07/31/local/noticia/vaca-maronesa-melhor-carne-mundo-segundo-competicao-nao-oficial-internacional-1926626
https://boisimo.gciencia.com/2020/07/23/a-maronesa-de-portugal-gana-o-mundial-oficioso-da-carne-de-vacun-disputado-en-ames/
https://boisimo.gciencia.com/2020/02/03/dieta-galega-para-as-mellores-vacas-do-mundo/
Some videos about the Aurochs, etc. (I):
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxdw7CCK7Vw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRwbpJryfnc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2thcmlV_VJI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pwgBjhrPLk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmRs31tJn7s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fJ12OEbOow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkjgiWDtYdc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nAJ7TSeLkE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpZwBgJMAKI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcKBmJelq5I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDoLkGObxZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOAF9DeOfBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnlB_W4Nd5o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBVes2qt2Zc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVsA9ceTSrI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8jMVt3pk0E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNOuUMKnCcE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG_qXWK_cXs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGXQchJozZE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMv9TtEjVRg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePoIu7vWI7Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjIaKtlLAFc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaUCQ0IKOBY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTkeI7__gw8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq-_Aa4JJ60
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yD6DuO3feCg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrpsZ8d4TCY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOHOQR3Fjv0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YMJdUG4f-8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXIbUIj1hBU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6QBHh5tdio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqGB_hhsSlo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBup6GTH2Dk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipCkNUZXMXc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPfYMClYyCY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2muixiiEr4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVaddsseE90
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0kpGGHvTKM
Some videos about the Aurochs, etc. (II):
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dli7C3i4sPo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPGuKjI5NhU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc9_Mjp4Ldk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9u7I_AKajY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cjljAiYo_A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eKpMHsgfZw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZK-aAhaHV8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6QBHh5tdio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG_qXWK_cXs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGXQchJozZE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMv9TtEjVRg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxdw7CCK7Vw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmRs31tJn7s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_EPW59Crdo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPCJql5L4OU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Cu0vZMw4lU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccXd73nXAPU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3DSVHbwtws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fJ12OEbOow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nbqh7cTex5Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LPw7m0Op30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2thcmlV_VJI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgVNUN7IQXo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8XMdt2zaqM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2I0p8uhn-0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1o-6PWppq0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vieDhYDP_HI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpltmG26M9Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WQ0gXKIL10
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKIwnmyzXnw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeZiIrwNM1g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2siR06ECt2U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUS8vmKo3K0
Some videos about the Aurochs, etc. (III):
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXdSI7m81x0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRfKsaYYTjE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUoEbv7P-O0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73s6dFgqx4k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxcqicA588I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HE5kw7Bamo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEKBtga2s8s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3eQykYL18s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMIKoBumr9s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5JQzguKEoI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1DeHh759XM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NT7o8kE3UE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akts7wc5Am0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_LnlJ7GUrg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbXPk2uw_8o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2mW8g9YnHU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z37WbETTFEw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V3KELWuRRc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UThSsDEfjs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8naqHeZ8OM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inGgtGOKokc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjZKoJ8510w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix9VcX-4bjI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gONI87-b9fc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53F6YQdD3Vk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKjFTJ9j7OM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoJqjQNFmNE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivj2IDJfyb4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYDEzUJVBDI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i5LKj_RNcA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acoCI3xO7wQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly91GPGmcF0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSzWndKZ9vY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acoCI3xO7wQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RBRANK1cYo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWgBVVggR4o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuDWiAwRTsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_fzF0NQ8uY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDTJkt-qwK0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK6dnLHHznI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuLSROYuMa0
Hi Daniel!
DeleteCongratulations on your Blog!
I had to split this into 4 parts, because you couldn't post it all together in your blog comments!
I've already published 3 parts, but I'm missing part IV of the links to videos about Aurochs, etc.
Some videos about the Aurochs, etc. (IV):
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8mcMWXVs2c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u52-54yr5aU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuI5DoLP4ho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkyJrtm47Dc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lbTVanGiPY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ja9LLBB_IA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjwdNnjqGJU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8clY-wKQuJk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4wOBxzVXTg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWjfBI_JAvU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXAirenteRA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b56Z4GIf3XY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3rgdHiDN7U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSy2253NQw0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilnfC1LIBj8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8naqHeZ8OM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RLtC1Fnk-k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94CxTV-7qfs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp6-Pfkojic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWxAQns-7mM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcmmAhgTP-8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV1weeEf9r8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsrjPTZUqm8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P2qSo6ok2k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_8K1RDFNUI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdcZ0r_2h_Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjx8ZQeg4dM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5eIs04VZEE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg7Zzba1ulA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1ml2M9kO2U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKETBRibH4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC_GqrdscVg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMWrXkLGCwA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKhIYJOKBYc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8mcMWXVs2c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWRdK4dpjSw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HNzIT97Rao
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynQ4CDwvW9M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Pk3HOehG0k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMWrXkLGCwA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joc8UDjNRmU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EZgNe2zZYo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6TnWW1s4hE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmiTW5F_aMc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDoLkGObxZI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4Xk3MVmvjs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fDCQXezJb4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxdw7CCK7Vw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=almO2Ypp964
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD6HMtvzkfY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR_ZEuxjTv0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg2tVKvKp1A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyVkvhTZBfA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkat-NdL2Tg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJfDhMdCqug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_ubF1lUdAA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMu_vigawyM
In the mountains of Northern Portugal, I could see Barrosa, Maronesa, Cachena, Mirandesa. Without a doubt, the Maronesa looks the most like aurochs. Yet there is variability in the breed. Only a part of them look very close to aurochs, same horns, same colour, same look. But they are not as tall as aurochs. Medium size cows are better suited to mountains and poor quality pasture. The 4 breeds are renowned for high quality meat.
ReplyDeleteThe Barrosa is used for bull fighting. One bull versus another bull. The bulls have short heads, like the Herens bulls. Their horns are huge. They are easy to handle. They are not as brave as Herens breed. If you want to see them in action, type "chega de bois" on youtube.
ReplyDeleteA video featuring axaquia cattle
ReplyDeletehttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qrdsa3F3bWM
look at the bull at 3:32