Kalmuck beef
The Kalmuck cattle ( Russian : Калмыцкая , Kalmyzkaja ) is a beef cattle breed originally from Mongolia and China , further bred in Russia .
Origin and breeding history
There is still no agreement on the origin of the Kalmuck cattle. Some believe that it is derived from Indian cattle, but most experts believe that it is derived from the Asian aurochs . Three hundred years ago the breed was bred in the mountains and steppes of Djungaria ( northwest China ), western Mongolia, and southern Altai . When Kalmyks came to the area of the Lower Volga in the early 17th century , they also brought their cattle with them. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, Simmental and Shorthorn cattle were crossed.
Characteristics
- two types of beef cattle: early maturity (somewhat smaller and more delicate) and late maturity
- Color red in various shades, white spots on the head, stomach, legs
- Muzzle pale, head small, horns short, long face
- Chest deep, broad, well developed dewlap
- Withers, back and loin straight and broad
- Raised croup
- Legs strong and correct
- Muscles well developed
- Dense fur, long in winter
- Udder small
- Skeleton light and strong
- hardness
- Adaptation to the harsh continental climate of Central Asia
- Food frugality, ability to graze the leanest pastures
- longevity
- Weight cows 420 - 500 kg, bulls 750 - 850 kg
- good fattening ability, gain 800 - 900 g / day of fattening steers
- Milk yield 1,000 - 1,200 kg with 4.1 - 4.5% fat (only 180 - 240 days of lactation)
- very good meat quality
Regional types
The various regional types differ in their weight.
Occurrence today
The breed consists of 15 main breeding lines.
Today the breed in the area of the lower Volga ( Kalmykia , Volgograd Oblast , Astrakhan Oblast , Rostov Oblast ), in the Stavropol region , in the Oblast Chita , in Tuva , Buryatia , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan widespread. In 1980 the number of animals was 381,000.