Murnau-Werdenfels Cattle

The breed of cattle Murnau- Felser is a robust old Landrace from Upper Bavaria.

Origin

(Also called " top countries" ) The origin and history of the Murnau- Felser could not be clearly understood. The majority of the authors who has dealt with this issue, suggested that matings of the then yellow Tyrolean cattle have formed in the upper Inn valley with the origins, of the Werdenfelser country, already existing so-called red land impact, the foundation of the breed. Dama Lige territorial Collaboration, and economic relations between the Ettal Monastery and the Cistercian Abbey of Stams in Tyrol have probably influenced these developments. In later times to have been crossed yet Mürztaler and Murbodner animals from Styria, bulls from neighboring Lech Valley, brown species, as well as Central Franconian Ellinger. Immunological studies have shown that it is an autochthonous breed is the Murnau- Felser, of who could get a small purebred stock up to the present day.

Properties

The colors of animals ranging from light to dark yellow, red brown over to the Black with light dorsal stripe, dark mouth with a bright edge (flour mouth), dark eyes, also with a bright edge. They are horned, mouth and horn tips are black and have an above-average hardness. With its extremely hard claws, the high capacity of their joints, they are particularly suitable for the attitude in humid locations with high rainfall and wetlands. Her great slip resistance allows their attitude, however, even on very steep pastures. The animals are very frugal, while vital, resistant to harsh climate, characterized by long life and high fertility. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Murnau- Felser were as so-called "Three -purpose cattle " - the same workhorse, milk and meat supplier - very popular and common, but they met at that time all the expectations of farmers. The cows of the breed reach a height at the withers 128-130 cm and a weight of 500 to 600 kg, the bulls are about 138 to 145 cm tall and 850 to 950 kg.

Dissemination and development of the inventory

In a livestock census in 1896, around 62,000 Murnau- Felser were counted in Bavaria, the main area of ​​distribution ranged from Garmisch - the main breeding area - to Kochel, Starnberg, Landsberg. The success of this breed of cattle was due largely to the fact that high-performance, for field, forest and transport work perfectly usable oxen were bred. Breeding and sale set out in that time the main source of income of many companies represents the development of modern agricultural structures, in particular the progressive mechanization then led to a strong reduction of the breeding stock. First, the constantly increasing use of tractors and other machines made ​​the use of animals for field, forest and transport work largely unnecessary. As there was a specialization of agriculture to meat or milk production from the mid-20th century, this was accompanied by the corresponding high breeding cattle breeds that either milk or but were only meat suppliers. In comparison with these new races, the number of farms, which they continue to used for milk production of the milk and meat performance of Murnau- Felser was too low, and ( connected to the milk recording companies ) fell from 200 ( 1950) to 128 (1965 ), 101 (1970), 18 (1975). The absolute low point was reached in 1980 with only two companies. Could through government funding to 1990 again a slight increase of farms are reached in which Murnau- fields used cows and connected the milk recording were (18 farms with 201 animals ), so had to then following years have again begun to decline recorded. In the year 2005 113 herd-book cows were connected to the milk recording in nurmehr nine farms. There were six Herdbook bulls. All previous attempts from the " Three -purpose cattle " to breed a " dual purpose breed " - with increased milk and meat production - could this development only conditionally halt.

Performance

1980: 3624 kg milk per year ( 3.95% fat, 3.45% protein );

1990: 4024 kg milk per year ( 3.67% fat, 3.32 % protein);

2000: 4089 kg milk per year ( 3.61% fat, 3.29 % protein);

2005: 4226 kg milk per year ( 3.72% fat, 3.35% protein)

These benefits are, for example, but from Simmental still outbid. The values ​​are here ( 2005 ) 6768 kg milk per year ( 4.14 percent fat, 3.50 percent protein ). And the Holstein cow is with an annual milk yield of 8,000 liters ( 10,000 to 14,000 liters per year are not uncommon ) even higher. However, the milk of the Murnau- Felser differs in quality from that of other breeds, but the milk proteins are unique in the world in their composition and diversity. The genetic variants of milk proteins, the breed has to have the greatest diversity of all investigated breeds in Germany. Murnau- Felser have by far the highest frequency in beta- lactoglobulin D. Once the presence of the beta- lactoglobulin W, named after Werdenfelser. In addition, the Murnau- Felser excel with an average age of cows milk yield of 7.1 years, all other breeds of cattle in Bavaria. The growth performance of young bulls is considerable, daily weight gain of up to 1.3 kg but can be achieved. Due to low skin and Fußgewichtsanteile, a high carcass yield of approx. 60 percent can be achieved. In the tissue composition, they have a high meat content of over 70 percent, up at a bone and tendon accounted for only 17.5 percent.

Measures for the preservation of the breed

The Animal Breeding Act of December 22, 1989 was in the Federal Republic for the first time the " conservation of genetic diversity " was added as a task in a law. Here, the individual federal states play a key role, since the implementation of concrete measures in the field of animal breeding falls exclusively within their remit.

Bavaria

The sharp decline of the stock of the Murnau- Felser since the early 1970s prompted the Bavarian government ( Bavarian State Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Forestry) in 1976 in the Bavarian Main State Stud Schwaiganger ( Experimental Station Guglhör ) a suckler herd of 25 animals as a genre Serve to create herd, so as to prevent the extinction of the breed. As part of the Danube Moss renovation project, later came a second herd of 35 cows in the herd book Moorversuchtsgut Karlshuld ( district of Neuburg -Schrobenhausen ) added. As part of the sale of the Moor experimental farm in 2003, this herd had to be reduced to 20 suckler cows, however; but is trapped by a farmer in cooperation with the Donaumoos - purpose association further. In addition, sperm banks have been created. In the State Genre Serve as of July 1, 2004, incorporated by 16 bulls from the three ( only existing ) bloodlines total of 7397 doses of semen. Since the early 1980s also funding in the form of entertainment contracts with companies over a period of 10 years, raising premiums, subsidies to the cost of milk recording will be made available by the Bavarian State Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Forestry.

EU

The EU also provides incentives for old and endangered breeds. The basis is the Council, the EU Regulation 1257/99 of 17 May 1999 on support for rural by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF ). Since 1 January 2000 This Regulation provides the framework for Community support for rural development. In Regulation (and their updates: EU Regulation 2603/1999 of 9 December 1999, EU Regulation 445/2002, of 26 February 2002) provided measures include the promotion of the attitude of Old and Endangered Livestock Breeds. The threshold above which a local breed is critically endangered and is therefore considered worthy of support, has been set by the EU for cattle breeds at 7,500 breeding ewes (see EC Regulation 445/2002 of 26 February 2002). There are formulated programs, under which, inter alia, Premiums are held for breeding animals, litter premiums, raising premiums, purchase premiums for animals, supports for breeders' associations, funding the acquisition and preservation of semen and embryos for use and preservation, are provided. Created in 2006 by the EU (European Commission) were granted ( almost negligible ) means to preserve this breed of cattle. For a research program entitled " Exemplary development and testing of a new breeding program for the breed Murnau- Felser on the basis of molecular genetic characterization " of the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture / Institute for Animal Breeding were ( contributing institution: Ludwig- Maximilians- University of Munich) for the period of 1 June 2006 to 29 February 2008 (21 months ) approved a total of 20,240 euros. "The aim of the pilot project, it is the example of the breed of cattle bavarian, opportunities for conservation breeding for races in the category" " show phenotypic conservation population and tested. The pilot project is intended to show how to install based on the genotyping results by the establishment of a breeding program, the Conservation Breeding and paid through the sensitive expansion of the gene pool a sustainable contribution to the conservation of an endangered livestock breed. " ( From a letter from the European Commission of 24. March 2006, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank -Walter Steinmeier )

Endangered Animal of the Year race

The Murnau- Felser beef was declared by the Society for the Conservation of Old and Endangered Livestock Breeds (GEH ) for 'at-risk livestock breed of the Year " in 1986 and 2007. It is on the Red List in the category 1 ( extreme risk ). Since the year 1984 is especially urgent pointed out with this selection of the GEH on those domestic animals which are to be conserved because of agricultural biodiversity to also have this genetic reserve available in the future.