Tux Cattle
Encyclopedia
Tux Cattle are a rare cattle breed native to the Alpine region of Europe
. It is one of the older, endangered cattle breeds. Tux is a village in the Tux Valley in Tyrol
in Austria
.
Similar to Herens cattle, Tux cattle have a high potential for aggression, resulting in long fights between the cows. In former times they were selected on their fighting ability, which resulted in decreased milk performance. Tux cows produce 1,500 kg milk per year on average. Herens cows that are similarly frugal deliver more than twice that amount. However, the milk fat content of Tux cows is about 8%, while that of Herens cows is about 3.7%.
. Tux cattle also were used in the development of some Russia
n cattle breeds.
Today, only some 110 to 300 animals exist.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is one of the older, endangered cattle breeds. Tux is a village in the Tux Valley in Tyrol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Characteristics
Tux Cattle have black or red fur with white spots on the pelvis, the tail root, the ventral abdomen and on the udder. The head is short and broad with strong horns. The trunk is compact, broad and muscular, the legs relatively short. Bulls average height is 140 cm, weight 800 - 900 kg. Cows average height is 120 - 130 cm, weight 550 - 600 kg. Tux cattle are frugal and were once kept on mountain pastures.Similar to Herens cattle, Tux cattle have a high potential for aggression, resulting in long fights between the cows. In former times they were selected on their fighting ability, which resulted in decreased milk performance. Tux cows produce 1,500 kg milk per year on average. Herens cows that are similarly frugal deliver more than twice that amount. However, the milk fat content of Tux cows is about 8%, while that of Herens cows is about 3.7%.
Breeding history
Tux cattle are said to stem from the Herens breed. Originally the Tux breed was common in Tyrol and was involved in breeding diverse other alpine breeds. Today it has been displaced by more productive cattle breeds and is only kept in the Ziller ValleyZillertal
The Zillertal is the biggest valley branching off the Inn valley in Tyrol, Austria drained by the river Ziller. It is surrounded by the strongly glaciated Zillertal Alps to the south and east, the lower grass peaks of the Kitzbühel Alps to the east and Tux Alps to the west...
. Tux cattle also were used in the development of some Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n cattle breeds.
Today, only some 110 to 300 animals exist.