A breed of cows that is impressive for its size (6 photos)

The Chianina (Chianina, Chianina) is large and one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the world. In this post you will learn some interesting facts about her.





Even with dimensions of two tons, the beasts look like exquisite porcelain figurines. No steroids or GMOs - only the sultry Italian sun, the freshest meadow grasses and the wonders of selection!

It is quite easy to distinguish mega gobies from other cows. A 2x2 closet is the perfect description for these beasts! Adult bulls grow up to 2 meters at the withers and weigh up to 2000 kilograms. Just imagine how huge they are! For comparison: the height of the “large” cows in my grandmother’s village is about 1.5 meters, and their weight is approximately 700 kilos.



The cause of gigantism is thousands of years of targeted selection. According to some sources, the first cattle were brought to Italy from Asia and Africa around 1500 BC. At the very beginning of breeding, these cows did not produce milk and were not bred for meat. Buryonok were used as draft animals for heavy agricultural work, and on holidays they were sacrificed.





Bulls are still used to this day for traditional festive processions.

Where is the selection here, you ask? It's simple: firstly, in order to pull a heavy plow across a field all day, you need remarkable strength. And secondly, the peasants of that time did not have the opportunity to keep frail animals for the sake of beautiful eyes. Everyone who could not work contributed in other ways.



After such selection, only the largest, strongest and hardiest animals remained in the breed. The white color protects them from the scorching sun, strong hooves allow them to walk tirelessly all day, and huge muscle mass has already become part of their genotype. In addition, during the evolution in their homeland, cows have become less susceptible to local diseases - well, it’s just a fairy tale!



At the pace of living tractors, the animals worked until the mechanization of all agriculture in their region. Cow power could no longer compete with internal combustion engines, so the breed was on the verge of extinction for some time. Fortunately, enthusiasts noticed them in time and took the bull by the horns, turning the white giants into an elite breed.



Today, cows are valued both for their first-class meat qualities and for their ability to consistently transmit their genetic data even when crossed with other breeds. Purebred Italian bulls gain 2 kilograms of weight per day, and by 18 months the ungulates already weigh nearly 700 kilograms. Italians are so careful and serious about raising livestock that they identify each steak so that buyers can learn everything about the life of this animal.