Sayaguesa Cattle

Sayaguesa, also called Zamorana, is an original Spanish domestic cattle breed from the Comarca de Sayago in the province of Zamora, which still has some distinct features of the extinct aurochs.

Appearance and Description

The animals are very large, mature cows weigh 650-700 kg and bulls 1000-1100 kg. The bulls are black and often have a bright dorsal stripe. The cows are often only marginally brighter than the cops, but a few sayaguesa cows are still ruddy - brown. Also have the the bright edged muzzle. The horns are aurochs - like and in particular swinging bulls forward. Sayaguesa is a long-legged race, which, moreover, often via a curved topline, which can remind their stature to that of the aurochs have. Furthermore Sayaguesas have, like some other primitive breeds of cattle, which do not have the short " Kälbchengesicht " many other domestic cattle.

The breed is considered durable, sturdy and frugal and therefore lives year-round free for most holders and does not require a stable or shelter.

Occurrence

Traditionally, these powerful cattle are used as labor and draft animals. There are only about 640 copies, and the breed is considered as endangered since 1997. It is the low efficiency of the primitive races which led many farmers to switch from this to more productive breeds or to cross them with such.

Due to its aurochs -likeness, however, sayaguesa pleased in a number of restoration projects. So Sayaguesas those used by the Association of Biological Environmental protection in the district of Soest. The Stichting Taurus uses this race, where it is integrated into the Project Tauros. This is trying to get by crossing and selection breeding except some ox -like breeds like further Pajuna, maremmana primitivo or Tudanca an ox, which the Wild Cattle phenotypically, genotypically and ecologically as possible to the same.