Abondance (beef)
The Abondance cattle breed is one of the more important French dairy cattle breeds. The studbook begins in 1891.
The adult cow reaches an average height at the withers of 130 cm and is mostly red to red-brown in color. Only the head, abdomen, legs and tail are white. This peculiarity indicates the close relationship with the Simmental Fleckvieh .
As with the Simmental cows, Abondance cattle began to be reared in the Middle Ages in the Chablais , the region on Lake Geneva that borders the Simmental to the south. The farms of the Saint-Maurice monastery in the lower Valais were evidently leading the way . The Abondance valley belonged to the narrower economic area of this Savoyard monastery, which even established a subsidiary there in order to intensify the management of the region.
The Abondance cows have a robust constitution and can use the forage from the alpine pastures well. They are known for their good milk yield and suitability for meat production. The milk has a high fat content and is ideal for cheese production. The cheeses Bleu de Termignon , Reblochon , Abondance , Tomme des Bauges and Beaufort are made from the milk.
There is also a close relationship with the Montbeliard breed . The milk of this origin can also be used to make the protected Abondance cheese.
In France, the number of Abondance cows has grown to around 150,000 animals, making it the fourth most common breed of cattle in the country. Abondance herds are held in 13 departments in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region . The popular breed has been exported to Canada and Egypt, Iraq and West Africa.
