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Gascon cattle is a breed of cow. Two different types of this breed of cattle are: '' à muqueuses noires'' and '' aréolé''. These were combined in 1955 into a single
Gascon cattle is a breed of cow. Two different types of this breed of cattle are: '' à muqueuses noires'' and '' aréolé''. These were combined in 1955 into a single herdbook
A breed registry, also known as a herdbook, studbook or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders ...
, but in 1999 they were once again made two different breeds.
Characteristics
The Gascon have many characteristics that make them different from any other breed of cattle. For example, their hard coat enables the Gascon to tolerate cold weather better than other cows; it is also very thick and sheds water well. The ease of calving is another. Gascon cows have a much shorter labour than other breeds. Another characteristic of the Gascon is that their calves get stronger and gain more weight faster than other types of cows. Gascon cows have lower feed consumption than other types of cows. This is due to adaptation as their food sources are often scarce. However, they are still able to keep in good condition and become pregnant easily. Gascon cows have a graycoat
A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles ...
, but are born red -- the coat changes colour at about the fourth month of life. Bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species '' Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions,
incl ...
s are gray, with black shading underneath. Mature cows weigh 550 to 700 kg and stand 135 cm at the shoulder; bulls average 145 cm in height and 800 to 950 kg in weight.
History
Gascon cattle were originally bred in theFrench Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to ...
, where the harsh climate and limited resources led to the adaptations found in this breed. Because of these adaptations, Gascon cattle can survive and work hard in basically any condition. Because they spend their winters in the low lands and their summers high on the Pyrenees, they are used to huge changes in the climate
Climate is the long-term weather pattern in an area, typically averaged over 30 years. More rigorously, it is the mean and variability of meteorological variables over a time spanning from months to millions of years. Some of the meteorologica ...
."Gascon beef. (Livestock). " Farmers Weekly. (13 Feb 2004): 2. General OneFile.
Gale.
See also
*Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques (; Gascon Occitan: ''Pirenèus Atlantics''; eu, Pirinio Atlantiarrak or ) is a department in the southwest corner of France and of the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Pyrenees mountain range and the Atlant ...
*Cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...
*Dairy cattle
Dairy cattle (also called dairy cows) are cattle bred for the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cattle generally are of the species '' Bos taurus''.
Historically, little distinction was ma ...
*Beef cattle
Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production (as distinguished from dairy cattle, used for milk production). The meat of mature or almost mature cattle is mostly known as beef.
In beef production there are three main stages: cow-calf oper ...
*Livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to anima ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gascon Cattle Cattle breeds originating in France Cattle breeds