Corsican cattle

The Corse or Corsicana is a French breed of cattle indigenous to the island of Corsica.^{[1]: 159 [2][3][4]: 275}

Corsican cows at the beach

History

Corsican cow

The Corse is the traditional cattle breed of Corsica, formerly kept principally for draught work in agriculture.^[5] It is officially recognised by the Ministère de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, the French ministry of agriculture, but no herd-book is kept.^[6]

Since the 1960s there has been intromission of several breeds from mainland France, among them the Aubrac, the Brune des Alpes, the Charolaise, the Gasconne, the Limousine and the Tarentaise.^[6][7] On low-lying pasture where there is abundant forage, cross-bred calves put on weight more rapidly than purebred indigenous stock; they are not suitable for rearing on the thinner grazing of mountainous areas, to which the Corse is well adapted.^[5] This cross-breeding has threatened the survival of the original Corse breed, which may now require conservation.^[8]: 227

In 2001 there were 28,000 cows and 1,300 bulls for natural and 6 for artificial insemination. The numbers are stable and 60% of females reproduce purebred.

Morphology

The breed has a tan coat with shades ranging from blond to dark wheat and gray. The belly is often lighter. The mucous membranes are dark. The lyre-shaped horns are brought up. The breed is of small size and low weight. Cows measures 1.15 m (3 ft 9 in) and 280 kg (620 lb), the bulls 1.20 m (3 ft 11 in) and 350 kg (770 lb).

Use

Cows at Mausoleo.

Cattle in Corsica were traditionally used as draught animals in agriculture, particularly in cereal farming; cows gave a small quantity of milk, and oxen no longer fit for work yielded some beef.^{[5][8]: 227} Following the decline in cereal farming in the island, the cattle are reared mostly for beef, usually from bullocks slaughtered at an age of 10 to 12 months (Corsican: manzu), when they have a live weight of some 140–180 kg. These a managed extensively, grazing freely on the maquis and woodland undergrowth of the mountains.^[8]: 227