Chianina
The Chianina is the largest breed of cattle in the world. Chianina cattle can already be found on depictions of the Etruscans and Pliny the Elder mentioned them: They are the oldest cattle breed in Italy. Chianina cattle originally come from Tuscany , Umbria and the Marche in central Italy . The name Chianina is derived from the Chiana Valley in Tuscany.
The bulls grow up to 180 cm and weigh 1500 kg. Chianina cows reach a height at the withers of 160 cm and a live weight of 800 kg. The animals are pure white, but the calves are born with a reddish brown coat. The meat from these animals is of exceptional quality and is often offered in Tuscany as bistecca alla fiorentina .
Originally bred as a workhorse, cattle are now bred as pure beef cattle and, due to their suitability for the tropics, are used as crossbreeds for cattle from developing countries.
The beef is considered to be particularly sensitive and does not like changes. For example, changing owners can lead to a deterioration in the quality of the meat.
In 1955 the Chianina bull “Donetto” in Arezzo set a cattle weight record of 1740 kg, which is still valid today.
On November 8, 2007, the Chianina ox "Fiorino" entered the Guinness Book of Records with a height at the withers of 2.05 m .
Every year on the last weekend in June, the “ Sagra della Bistecca Chianina” takes place in the small Italian town of Sestino .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Website - Chianina ox "Fiorino" ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
