Chianina
Encyclopedia
The Chianina is an Italian
breed
of cattle, formerly principally a draught
breed, now raised mainly for beef
. It is the largest and one of the oldest cattle breeds in the world. The famous bistecca alla fiorentina is produced from its meat.
, from which it takes its name, and the middle Tiber
valley. Chianina cattle have been raised in the Italian regions of Tuscany
, Umbria
and Lazio for at least 2200 years. Columella
, writing about types of oxen in about 55 AD, says "Umbria vastos et albos ..." (VI.I.2), which in the first English translation is "Umbria has such as are huge, and of a white colour". Chianina oxen were the principal source of agricultural power in the area until displaced by mechanisation and the collapse of the mezzadria
system following the Second World War; they were in use in agriculture until at least 1970 and are still used in processions such as the corteo storico
of the Palio di Siena
. From 1931 breeders began to favour selection of animals more suited to meat production, with shorter limbs, longer bodies and more heavily muscled rump and thighs; recently, selection is based also on factors such as growth rate, meat yield and, in cows, maternal ability. While one source reports a Herd Book dating from 1856, others date the institution of the Libro Genealogico (genealogical stud book) to 1933, when a breed standard was established and commissions were set up by the Ministero di Agricoltura e Foreste (ministry of agriculture and forestry) to identify, mark and register morphologically suitable animals; the standard of the Chianina breed was fixed by Ministerial Decree of 7 August 1935. A private register was previously kept by the largest cattle breeder of the Sienese
Valdichiana, the Eredi del conte Bastogi of Abbadia di Montepulciano, and a group of breeders had in 1899 formed a society, the Società degli Agricoltori della Valdichiana (society of farmers of the Valdichiana), of which a principal aim was the establishment of a herd book.
Since the Second World War the Chianina has become a world breed, raised almost exclusively for its high quality meat, and has through exportation of breeding stock, of frozen semen and of embryos, reached China, Russia, Asian countries and the Americas.
in the province of Siena
, where he was bred. Cows usually weigh 800 -nocomma, but commonly exceed 1000 kg (2,204.6 lb); those standing over 1.65 metre are judged top-grade. Calves routinely weigh over 50 kg (110.2 lb) at birth.
The Chianina breed is characterised by white hair and a black switch. They have black skin pigmentation. Chianina are heat tolerant and have a gentle disposition.
At the end of 2010 there were 47,236 head registered in Italy, of which more than 90% were in Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio; it is, after the Marchigiana
, the second indigenous beef breed of Italy.
, Florence
, Livorno
, Perugia
, Pisa
(parts only) and Siena, and in some parts of the more distant provinces of Caserta
, Latina
and Terni
. It was highly adapted to the steep hill terrain and entirely suitable to the farms of the time, to mixed agriculture and to the smallholdings of the mezzadri
. A typical casa colonica or rural farmhouse in the area had substantial stabling for oxen on the ground floor, while the habitable part was on the floor above.
At this time four varieties were distinguishable within the breed, based on phenotypic
differences resulting from different environments: the Chianina of the Valdichiana, the Chianina of the Valdarno
, the Calvana in the hilly country of the province of Florence, and the Perugina in the province of Perugia.
The oxen, both male and female, were invariably worked in pairs, yoked with a type of neck yoke
. Today Chianina oxen are rarely seen in Italy other than at public events such as the Palio di Siena.
In the North America Chianina oxen are trained for participation in ox-pulling contests. Conroy shows a pair pulling 6045 kg (13,326.9 lb) on a stoneboat.
, where there are many thousands.
The ideal slaughter weight is 650 -nocomma, reached at 16–18 months, where the yield may be 64–65%. The meat is renowned for its quality and nutritional values. In Italy it is sold by name at premium prices by approved butchers, the sales receipt detailing the breed, birth and slaughter dates, identification number and other data of the animal in order to guarantee its origin. Each of the 18 principal cuts is branded with the "5R" symbol of the Consorzio Produttori Carne Bovina Pregiata delle Razze Italiane (consortium of producers of quality beef from Italian breeds), signifying the five indigenous beef breeds of Italy, the Chianina, the Marchigiana, the Maremmana
, the Romagnola
and the Podolica, in accordance with a ministerial decree of 5 July 1984. For the three breeds present in central Italy, the Chianina, Marchigiana and Romagnola, there is also an Indicazione Geographica Protetta, or certification of region of origin, in accordance with European Community regulation 2081/92.
cattle in Latin America. In the United States the Chianina has been cross-bred with English breeds to reduce the fat content of meat in line with current fashion; elsewhere it has been used to transmit size, growth rate and its relatively low skeleton weight to local breeds. It has been found to transmit well qualities such as growth rate, meat quality, resistance to heat and cold and to insects and disease, and adaptation to rough terrain. Stock cross-bred with the Chianina may reach slaughter weight a month earlier than normal. In 1971 semen was first exported to the United States, where there are now many half-blood and quarter-blood animals. The first American Chianina x Angus calf was born on 31 January 1972 at Tannehill Ranch, near King City, California. Within four years the American Chianina Association had established a Chiangus register, since when the Chiangus has achieved "all but total dominance" in U.S. steer shows. Chianina semen was first imported into Australia in 1973, from Canada; it has since been imported directly from Italy. The Chiangus is an established cross in Australia also.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
breed
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of cattle, formerly principally a draught
Ox
An ox , also known as a bullock in Australia, New Zealand and India, is a bovine trained as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration makes the animals more tractable...
breed, now raised mainly for beef
Beef cattle
Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production . The meat of cattle is known as beef. When raised in a feedlot cattle are known as feeder cattle. Many such feeder cattle are born in cow-calf operations specifically designed to produce beef calves...
. It is the largest and one of the oldest cattle breeds in the world. The famous bistecca alla fiorentina is produced from its meat.
History
One of the oldest breeds of cattle, the Chianina originates in the area of the ValdichianaValdichiana
The Val di Chiana, Valdichiana, or Chiana Valley is an alluvial valley of central Italy, lying on the territories of the provinces of Arezzo and Siena in Tuscany and the provinces of Perugia and Terni in Umbria.- Geography :...
, from which it takes its name, and the middle Tiber
Tiber
The Tiber is the third-longest river in Italy, rising in the Apennine Mountains in Emilia-Romagna and flowing through Umbria and Lazio to the Tyrrhenian Sea. It drains a basin estimated at...
valley. Chianina cattle have been raised in the Italian regions of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
, Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
and Lazio for at least 2200 years. Columella
Columella
Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella is the most important writer on agriculture of the Roman empire. Little is known of his life. He was probably born in Gades , possibly of Roman parents. After a career in the army , he took up farming...
, writing about types of oxen in about 55 AD, says "Umbria vastos et albos ..." (VI.I.2), which in the first English translation is "Umbria has such as are huge, and of a white colour". Chianina oxen were the principal source of agricultural power in the area until displaced by mechanisation and the collapse of the mezzadria
Metayage
The Metayage system is the cultivation of land for a proprietor by one who receives a proportion of the produce, as a kind of sharecropping.-Origin and function:...
system following the Second World War; they were in use in agriculture until at least 1970 and are still used in processions such as the corteo storico
Corteo Storico
The Corteo Storico or historical parade is referred to as "passeggiata storica" in Siena, Tuscany, Italy. It is a costume parade which takes place before the famous horse race known as the Palio on the 2nd of July and on August 16, each year.- Description :...
of the Palio di Siena
Palio di Siena
The Palio di Siena is a horse race that is held twice each year, on July 2 and August 16, in Siena, Italy...
. From 1931 breeders began to favour selection of animals more suited to meat production, with shorter limbs, longer bodies and more heavily muscled rump and thighs; recently, selection is based also on factors such as growth rate, meat yield and, in cows, maternal ability. While one source reports a Herd Book dating from 1856, others date the institution of the Libro Genealogico (genealogical stud book) to 1933, when a breed standard was established and commissions were set up by the Ministero di Agricoltura e Foreste (ministry of agriculture and forestry) to identify, mark and register morphologically suitable animals; the standard of the Chianina breed was fixed by Ministerial Decree of 7 August 1935. A private register was previously kept by the largest cattle breeder of the Sienese
Siena
Siena is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.The historic centre of Siena has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation's most visited tourist attractions, with over 163,000 international arrivals in 2008...
Valdichiana, the Eredi del conte Bastogi of Abbadia di Montepulciano, and a group of breeders had in 1899 formed a society, the Società degli Agricoltori della Valdichiana (society of farmers of the Valdichiana), of which a principal aim was the establishment of a herd book.
Since the Second World War the Chianina has become a world breed, raised almost exclusively for its high quality meat, and has through exportation of breeding stock, of frozen semen and of embryos, reached China, Russia, Asian countries and the Americas.
Breed description
The Chianina is both the tallest and the heaviest breed of cattle. Mature bulls stand up to 1.8 metre, and castrated oxen may reach 2 metre. It is not unusual for bulls to exceed 1600 kg (3,527.4 lb) in weight. Males standing over 1.51 metre at 12 months are considered top-grade. A Chianina bull named Donetto holds the world record for the heaviest bull, reported by one source as 1740 kg (3,836 lb) when exhibited at the Arezzo show in 1955, but as 1780 kg (3,924.2 lb) and 1.85 metre tall at the age of 8 by others including the Tenuta La Fratta, near SinalungaSinalunga
Sinalunga is a town and comune in the province of Siena, in the Tuscany region of central Italy.-Main sights:*Collegiata di San Martino , built from 1568 over the ancient castle. The interior, on the Latin cross, has works by Benvenuto di Giovanni, Il Sodoma and Rutilio Manetti.*Palazzo Pretorio,...
in the province of Siena
Province of Siena
The Province of Siena is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Siena.It has an area of 3,821 km² , and a total population of 252,288 . There are 36 comuni in the province...
, where he was bred. Cows usually weigh 800 -nocomma, but commonly exceed 1000 kg (2,204.6 lb); those standing over 1.65 metre are judged top-grade. Calves routinely weigh over 50 kg (110.2 lb) at birth.
The Chianina breed is characterised by white hair and a black switch. They have black skin pigmentation. Chianina are heat tolerant and have a gentle disposition.
At the end of 2010 there were 47,236 head registered in Italy, of which more than 90% were in Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio; it is, after the Marchigiana
Marchigiana
The Marchigiana is a breed of cattle native to Italy. Originating specifically in the Marche region, the Marchigiana is a large breed kept for beef today. Prior to the 1950s it was also bred for draft work as oxen....
, the second indigenous beef breed of Italy.
Uses
The Chianina is a dual purpose breed, raised both for meat and for draught use; the milk is barely sufficient for suckling.Draught use
Until recent years, when it was replaced by machinery, the Chianina ox was used with excellent results both in agriculture and for road transport in its area of origin, the provinces of ArezzoProvince of Arezzo
The Province of Arezzo or Arretium is the easternmost province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Arezzo.It has an area of 3,232 km², and a total population of 323,288 in 39 comuni . At June 30, 2005, the main comuni by population are:- External links :...
, Florence
Province of Florence
The Province of Florence is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It has an area of 3,514 sq. km and a population of 933,860 in 44 comuni....
, Livorno
Province of Livorno
The Province of Livorno or Leghorn is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. It includes several islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, including Elba and Capraia. Its capital is the city of Livorno....
, Perugia
Province of Perugia
The Province of Perugia is the larger of the two provinces in the Umbria region of Italy, comprising two-thirds of both the area and population of the region. Its capital is the city of Perugia...
, Pisa
Province of Pisa
The Province of Pisa is a province in the Tuscany region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Pisa.It has an area of 2,448 km², and a total population of 394,101 . There are 39 comuni in the province ....
(parts only) and Siena, and in some parts of the more distant provinces of Caserta
Province of Caserta
The Province of Caserta is a province in the Campania region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Caserta. The former royal palace of Caserta is located near to the city.It has an area of 2,639 km², and a total population of 879,342...
, Latina
Province of Latina
The Province of Latina is a province in the Lazio region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Latina.It has an area of 2,251 km², and a total population of 519,850...
and Terni
Province of Terni
The Province of Terni is the smaller of the two provinces in the Umbria region of Italy, comprising one-third of both the area and population of the region. Its capital is the city of Terni...
. It was highly adapted to the steep hill terrain and entirely suitable to the farms of the time, to mixed agriculture and to the smallholdings of the mezzadri
Metayage
The Metayage system is the cultivation of land for a proprietor by one who receives a proportion of the produce, as a kind of sharecropping.-Origin and function:...
. A typical casa colonica or rural farmhouse in the area had substantial stabling for oxen on the ground floor, while the habitable part was on the floor above.
At this time four varieties were distinguishable within the breed, based on phenotypic
Phenotype
A phenotype is an organism's observable characteristics or traits: such as its morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, behavior, and products of behavior...
differences resulting from different environments: the Chianina of the Valdichiana, the Chianina of the Valdarno
Valdarno
The Valdarno is the valley of the river Arno, although it does not apply to the entire basin of the river. The usage of the term generally excludes Casentino and the valleys formed by the major tributaries, such as the Val di Chiana, the Val d'Ambra , The valley of the Sieve, namely Mugello, the...
, the Calvana in the hilly country of the province of Florence, and the Perugina in the province of Perugia.
The oxen, both male and female, were invariably worked in pairs, yoked with a type of neck yoke
Yoke
A yoke is a wooden beam, normally used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs, as oxen usually do; some yokes are fitted to individual animals. There are several types of yoke, used in different cultures, and for different types of oxen...
. Today Chianina oxen are rarely seen in Italy other than at public events such as the Palio di Siena.
In the North America Chianina oxen are trained for participation in ox-pulling contests. Conroy shows a pair pulling 6045 kg (13,326.9 lb) on a stoneboat.
Meat production
In beef production, Chianina cattle are chosen for their growth rate, which may exceed 2 kg (4.4 lb) per day, the high yield and high quality of the meat, and their tolerance of heat and sunlight. They are good foragers and are resistant to disease and insects to a greater degree than many other domesticated cattle. Thanks to these qualities the Chianina breed is present in many countries such as BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, where there are many thousands.
The ideal slaughter weight is 650 -nocomma, reached at 16–18 months, where the yield may be 64–65%. The meat is renowned for its quality and nutritional values. In Italy it is sold by name at premium prices by approved butchers, the sales receipt detailing the breed, birth and slaughter dates, identification number and other data of the animal in order to guarantee its origin. Each of the 18 principal cuts is branded with the "5R" symbol of the Consorzio Produttori Carne Bovina Pregiata delle Razze Italiane (consortium of producers of quality beef from Italian breeds), signifying the five indigenous beef breeds of Italy, the Chianina, the Marchigiana, the Maremmana
Maremmana
thumb|A Maremmana cow.The Maremmana is a breed of cattle reared in the Maremma, a prairie region extending in western central Italy from southern Tuscany to northern Lazio, usually in the provinces of Grosseto and Viterbo respectively....
, the Romagnola
Romagnola
Romagnola are a breed of beef cattle from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. They are bred primarily for beef production and were often used as draught beasts in the past. They are white or grey coated with a black pigmented skin and have upward curving horns. Calves are born red coated but soon...
and the Podolica, in accordance with a ministerial decree of 5 July 1984. For the three breeds present in central Italy, the Chianina, Marchigiana and Romagnola, there is also an Indicazione Geographica Protetta, or certification of region of origin, in accordance with European Community regulation 2081/92.
Cross-breeding
The Chianina breed is widely used for cross-breeding, most notably with NeloreNelore
Nelore or Nellore beef cattle originated from Ongole cattle originally brought to Brazil from India. They are named for the district of Nellore in Andhra Pradesh. The Nelore has a distinct large hump over the top of the shoulder and neck. They have long legs which help them to walk in water and...
cattle in Latin America. In the United States the Chianina has been cross-bred with English breeds to reduce the fat content of meat in line with current fashion; elsewhere it has been used to transmit size, growth rate and its relatively low skeleton weight to local breeds. It has been found to transmit well qualities such as growth rate, meat quality, resistance to heat and cold and to insects and disease, and adaptation to rough terrain. Stock cross-bred with the Chianina may reach slaughter weight a month earlier than normal. In 1971 semen was first exported to the United States, where there are now many half-blood and quarter-blood animals. The first American Chianina x Angus calf was born on 31 January 1972 at Tannehill Ranch, near King City, California. Within four years the American Chianina Association had established a Chiangus register, since when the Chiangus has achieved "all but total dominance" in U.S. steer shows. Chianina semen was first imported into Australia in 1973, from Canada; it has since been imported directly from Italy. The Chiangus is an established cross in Australia also.
External links
- photograph of Donetto, the heaviest bull in the world, c. 1955
- History of the Chianina Breed - Oklahoma State University
- Chianina Breed Information - Cattle.com
- Imposing animals at the end of video
