Origins
The Pinzgauer originates from the Pinzgau region in Austria south of Salzburg and has been around since 400AD. The first Pinzgauer cattle are believed to have come to Australia around 1902. The offspring of these Pinzgauers still graze in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, where, over a century later, cattle with the distinctive white tail are still found. In the 1990’s, renewed interest was shown in the breed in Australia and live animals, embryos and semen was imported and a new herd progressively bred.
Appearance
The Pinzgauer is known for its distinctive colour pattern, with a dark chestnut brown or black coat with a white back, white flanks and underbelly. They have a medium frame build with good breadth, depth and immense beef capacity.
Uses
The Pinzgauer in Europe is a dual-purpose breed that will produce both quality beef and good milk yields during alpine grazing. However, in Australia through selective breeding programs, the Pinzgauer has been developed as a beef animal. Pinzgauer beef is very tender with superior intra-muscular fat dispersal, better known as beef marbling.
Longevity
Pinzgauers are renowned for their longevity. and bulls continue to breed up to twelve years of age. Cows have a productive lifespan of between 16 and 18 years, with some animals still calving in their early twenties.
Mothering
Cows have high milk yields with high protein and butterfat content. Pinzgauer cows have exceptional mothering qualities and their high quality milk yields ensure a healthier and heavier calf. They also take on roles as surrogate mothers where a single Pinzgauer cow will raise several orphaned calves in a season providing sufficient milk and protecting them as her own.
Temperament
The Pinzgauer is a very people oriented breed as it evolved in a management environment where people interaction on a daily basis was a given in the winter months.
Robustness
Pinzgauer animals have strong legs and are renowned for their excellent walking-ability to graze over large areas and difficult terrain. They are very robust animals.
Fertility
Reproduction and fertility are the two most essential economic factors in a successful breeding plan. Heifers mature early and calve from 27 months. Pinzgauer bulls display signs of masculinity early in life. When it comes to male fertility the Pinzgauer bulls have a high sperm count and a healthy libido. Despite their strong breeding habits Pinzgauer bulls are docile and easy to handle and train for show purposes. These exceptional bulls also have superior gain ability and feed conversion ratios.
Commercial Sires
The Australian Pinzgauer is mainly used for beef breeding but milk production has not been neglected therefore Pinzgauers have excellent cross-breeding abilities and have the potential to serve well as commercial herd-sires.
