The Origin and History of Pinzgauer Cattle
The ancestors of the Pinzgauer cattle were introduced to their primary breeding area in the Hohe Tauern mountain range located in today's federal state of Salzburg by the Celts around 800 BC. In the various valleys of Salzburg, Tyrol, Carinthia but also in Bavaria and Styria, different types of Pinzgauer cattle evolved: some spotted, predominantly brown, with some black variants. Most of the forerunners of our domestic animals had a protective color to blend in better with their environment. Baron Freiherr von Mesnil described the Pinzgauer cattle in 1857 as follows: " either completely brown or it may have a white line along the belly and back".
From time to time, however, there are also some black-colored animals. The different types are known by their various names: Pinzgauer, Pongauer, Salzburger Schecken, Mölltaler, Brixentaler, Tiroler Rückenschecken, Traunsteiner, or Berchtesgadner. The "Pinzgauer breed" was first defined in more precise terms after the creation of the first breeders' association at the end of the 19th century. The breeding targets were based on strict color requirements.
The black and white variant, known as the "lucky cow", survived as an individual animal that every farmer took pride in having. Breeder associations, however, preferred chestnut-colored animals - as a result, the black Pinzgauer cow has now become very rare. Another specialty is the genetically hornless Pinzgauer breed, known as "Jochberger Hummeln". This genetic variant also has a long tradition. The first record of a hornless calf dates back to 1834 - on the "Hallerwirt" estate in Aurach in the federal state of Tyrol. But in those days, hornless cattle were considered disfigured, because it was impossible to attach a yoke and use them as farm animals. Animals with beautiful horns were much in demand.
As early as 1820, Pinzgauers were exported to the regions that now constitute Romania, Yugoslavia as well as the Czech and Slovak Republics. At the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Pinzgauers were the most common breed of cattle. In 1856, a collection of Pinzgauers was shown at the world exposition in Paris. The status of Pinzgauer cattle breeding was further enhanced at the world exposition in Vienna in 1873. Particularly popular were three-year-old Pinzgauer draught oxen that had been trained on collars and frontal yokes. In addition to dairy and meat production, getting the most out of the draught animals was one of the declared breeding targets. In 1893, a pair of Pinzgauer oxen in Munich pulled a load five times their combined body weight over a distance of one kilometer in 8.5 minutes. Pinzgauer oxen were also sought after in France, where they were also prized for their particularly succulent meat.
Pinzgauer cattle were selectively bred throughout the following decades, with special emphasis on the animal's fertility, robustness, and health. During World War II, Pinzgauer breeders lost their independence and all breeding activities were severely restricted. In 1950, Pinzgauer breeders formed an association. The objective was, again, to breed healthy, resilient, robust, fertile, and long-lived cattle that would be fast growing, easy to feed, adaptable, and with great fleshing ability and good milk and work output.
With the increasing use of technology, the breeding target of "work output" fell by the wayside, and more attention was given to milk and meat output. Changes to laws on animal breeding between 1965 and 1971 eliminated existing breed restrictions, and the relatively tight primary breeding area of the Pinzgauer cattle was soon weakened by a shift to other cattle breeds. The increasing specialization of agriculture led to an ever-growing demand for higher milk output. In 1969, therefore, a decision was made to include Red Friesian blood in order to improve milk output, udder shape, and milkability. Crossbred animals continue to be very popular on the dairy farms located in the Alpine foothills. However, some breeders in the mountains were quite doubtful of this concept and insisted on pure breeding. Dr. Josef Lederer, director of animal breeding, is the author of the current breeding program, which is again based on the idea of pure breeding. There are still considerable Pinzgauer populations to be found overseas, which, except for the Slovak Republic, Romania and Slovenia, are used exclusively for meat production. The Pinzgauer cattle in the Austrian primary breeding area are currently promoted as a high-output, dual-purpose breed. Its broad-based genetic diversity makes it an ideal variety for both dairy and meat production.
