Claus Kropp recently sent me interesting photos of some of the Auerrind crosses, which I am going to present today.
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| © Claus Kropp |
This is the Chianina x Watussi cow born in 2019. Her horns are developing well. She will be covered in 2021. Here is another photo of her, next to a Sayaguesa x Chianina cow:
In sum, there are three Chianina x Watussi cows, two calves have been born this year:
I wonder what would be the ideal combination to cross them with. Claus Kropp told me one option is the Sayaguesa x Maremmana bull. There are also Sayaguesa x Maremmana cow calves, one of them down below:
It apparently inherited the colour of a Sayaguesa cow. Here is a new photo of the Maremmana x Watussi bull:
There is no plan yet as to which combination it could be crossed with.
More Sayaguesa x Chianina calves have been born:
The cow Maxima on the upper photo has a very good and useful horn curvature. The cow in the back at the lower photo with the asymmetric horns (I think it is La Nova) is interesting as well; the question is which horn shape gets passed on. If she passes on the horn shape of her left horn it would be perfect.
It is very exciting to see those interesting combinations growing up and I am looking forward to the second-generation animals they will produce. The second generation is also where the selection starts. Since both Leo the Sayaguesa bull and Luca the Maremmana bull are about 170cm tall, many Auerrind crosses might end up being on the larger side.
Today I have news from all three main aurochs breeding back projects.
Tauros bulls
I found some photos of Tauros bulls on the web that I haven't posted here yet. Here, here and here. The first bull is from Herpeduin, the other two photos are from Maashorst. On the last photo, I particularly like the bull in the front. The colour is perfect and the horns look pretty good as well. They have the best curvature I have seen so far in a Tauros bull.
Birth of a Taurus calf
I found three videos showing the birth of a Taurus bull calf. Here, here and here. It is interesting that the cow gave birth in the open field. Normally they would look for a shelter and give birth there, but not all cows have the instinct to do that.
A new Auerrind calf
Claus Kropp posted a new photo of a second-generation cow calf today:
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| © Claus Kropp |
Its name is Doro, and it is (Sayaguesa x Watussi) x (Sayaguesa x Grey cattle). I am looking forward to see it growing, it has the potential to look very good. Claus Kropp also told me that they recently measured Leo the Sayaguesa bull. It is 171cm tall at the withers, which is a very good size. In about two weeks, Alvarez the Sayaguesa x Watussi bull is going to be moved to the herd with the Sayaguesa x Chianina cows.
This is a reconstruction of the female skull at the Gramsberg Museum in the Netherlands. I particularly like the horn shape of this specimen. A mix of Sayaguesa, Watussi and Maronesa might have the potential to result in horns like these. And Chianina for the body shape. Although they do not use Maronesa, let's see if the Auerrind project will achieve cows like that. Cows of the combination (Chianina x Watussi) x (Sayaguesa x Watussi) might have the potential to get close.
