RARE BREEDS TRUST OF AUSTRALIA
powered by TidyHQCattle : Parthenaise
Cattle : Parthenaise
Country of Origin
France
Australian Status
International status
Estimated 161,000 in 8 countries
Uses
Beef and Milk
Breed Traits
Triple purpose - draught, milk - known for making butter - and beef. Now primarily bred for beef. The breed organisation in France, in 1971, decided to base all performance and selection on beef characteristics.
Fertile. Solid colour - red to buckskin but usually a golden wheat colour - darker 'halos' around neck, eyes, ears, jaw. Pale around muzzle - coloured much like a Jersey.
High muscle to bone ratio. Tender, lean beef, lower cholesterol than chicken. Low inter-muscular fat. Excellent carcass yield of up to 67%. Butchers praised them for much less wastage than other beasts, more prime cuts (thanks for info, Jeremiah Park).
Thin, fine bone. Calve easily as despite muscle mass the bone is fine.
Good doers. Thrive perfectly well on pasture - Jeremiah Park are pasture raised and dress out to top weights. Hardy. Good milk supply ensures fast growing, healthy calves.
Docile temperament, good friendly cattle.
Cows 650-800kg, bulls 950-1,200kg.
Good fertility.
In France they're shedded for winter in extreme cold altitudes, but not necessary of course for most conditions here.
History
One of the oldest breeds in France. Herdbook established 1893. There are over 40,000 of the breed in France. Named for the town of Parthenay, in the department of Deux-Sevres in Nouvelle-Aquitaine.
History in Australia
Arrived in Australia in 1990s as straws. Over 100 embryos 2019-2021.
Breed Organisation
Australian Population
2022: about 75 breeding age females.
Photo Credit
Taureau race parthenaise concours à St Maixent 27/09/08, by Andre Bianco, on Flickr
Page by Janet Lane
