Tauros cattle moved the Auerrind project in Lorsch

It has just been announced on the blog of the Auerrind project that a number of cattle from the Tauros Project have been moved to the Auerrind project in Lorsch, Germany. In total, eight animals have been moved to Lorsch: 
- 1 young Maremmana bull 
- 1 young Pajuna bull + 1 Pajuna cow 
- 5 cross cows 

Maremmana bull © auerrind.wordpress.com

Maremmana bull + Sayaguesa x Watussi cross bull © auerrind.wordpress.com

The Maremmana bull is almost two years old and measures 160cm already. It will surely grow some more centimetres and maybe reach 170cm. The body looks rather elegant, but bulls get more massive after the age of 3. The bull is to cover the three Sayaguesa cows next year. For now, it grazes in an own bull herd at Felix Hohmeyer's farm, together with the young Sayaguesa x Watussi bull. It has a flawless aurochs colour but a rather Watussi-like appearance; I am curious how its horn shape is going to develop and how large they are going to be. But even if it is going to look like a black Watussi, it is not its actual looks but its genetic potential it bears that count; bred into a Sayaguesa cow it could still produce a very good result. 

Pajuna cow © auerrind.wordpress.com

Pajuna bull © auerrind.wordpress.com

The breed Pajuna is going to be incorporated into the Auerrind project. Next year both individuals will be bred to each other in order to have more individuals of the breed. What is interesting is that the bull is black with no saddle - I have not seen this in a Pajuna before. I like the deer-like slenderness of the individuals. They have no plan yet on how to crossbreed Pajuna with. The question is not easy for a two-breed-combination as Pajuna is both a small-sized and small-horned breed. Pajuna x Chianina would probably end up with a good size and well-built body and a correct colour, but it would lack horn size. Pajuna x Watussi would lack body size on the other hand. However, I think they could try the combination Maremmana x Pajuna (a combination already produced by the Tauros Programme, resulting bull here and perhaps also this one). The horn shape could end up unsatisfying as both breeds lack a prominent inwards curve, so Sayaguesa could be added to the mix. 

Pajuna cow (left) plus some Tauros crossbreed heifers © auerrind.wordpress.com

The Auerrind programm also has a new herd of five Tauros crossbreed heifers. Claus Kropp writes they are probably Maronesa-, Sayaguesa- and Maremmana-influenced, but a genetic test shall reveal their exact identy. A plan how to use them will be made when their identity is known.