CATTLE: Pustertaler

Origin: North East Italy

Status: 

International Status: rare in its homeland, the Tyrol of Australia and Puster valley of Bolsano, north east Italy. Also in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, rare in all places - less than 1,000 globally.

Arrived in Australia: uncertain, possibly 2015

Photo: Pustertaler cow, Cattle International Series on Weebly

Population in Australia: 2022: 4 fullblood cows (six animals bred from embryos); about 30 F2 upgrades. (Census details supplied by by Yan Kleynhans, thank you).

History: One of the prides of the Austro-Hungarian empire, heavy cattle that milked well and survived in the alps. Herdbook started in 1900. Many were sent into Austria, to supply Vienna with milk

Once at least ten thousand in its homeland, certainly as estimated in 1910 - but  the population shrank drastically after that, particularly when the Tyrol was taken by Italy for some time, war, and by 1920 the herdbook ceased to be kept. By 1927 they were in low numbers. WW2 caused numbers to drop, Mussolini then drove his boots in Mussolini - he issued decrees for other breeds to be used, which led to their near extinction. They got down to about 300.

From 1954 to 1967 efforts were made to save the breed. In 1985 they received government protection in Italy. From 1991 they were registered by the National Breeder's Association.

The Italian herdbook re-started in 1994, the Swiss one in 2015. 

Genetic tests proved they're very similar to the Bara cattle of Turin, so since 2002 the two breeds have been registered as one. Also genetically similar to the Pinzgauer of Bavaria, and the Cika cattle - an autochthonous (native) breed of Slovenia, and the Vosge cattle of Alsace, France. All horned, all dual purpose, all colour-side pattern, short headed.

Traits: Dual purpose - beef and milk. 

A beautiful colour side pattern - white with coloured or roan sides. The roaning is also referred to as "finched" in cattle. Coloured muzzle, and coloured around eyes, and coloured ears. Colour side with solid colour on the sides are called Schecken, while roaned are called Sprinzen.    

Some are red and white, some are black and white.

Small, well shaped horns, white with dark tips.

Fertile. Easy calving. Cows give more milk with each lactation, unlike most breeds. Calves thrive and are lively due to plentiful milk. 

The milk makes excellent cheese, Hoch Pustertaler/Formaggio alta pusteria is the name of the best known - matured for eight months to become semi-hard - known as mountain cheese.

Long lived. Hardy. Good feet.

Cows 500-650 k, bulls 800-900 k. Medium sized, broad. 

Organisation: None found in Australia. Bayern-Genetik imported many embryos here with the first calves arriving in 2018. 

Notes:   May be more here, as genetics have been sold here for some time. Information welcome. 

Page by Janet Lane