Kalmyk cattle
Cattle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kalmyk cattle (Russian: Калмыцкая, Kalmytskaya) is a breed of beef cattle of the former Soviet Union, now found in the Russian Federation, in Kazakhstan and in Tajikistan.[4][3] It is believed to have originated in Dzungaria, and to have been brought into south-eastern Russia by migrating Kalmyks in the seventeenth century.
- Russian: Калмыцкая
- Kalmytskaya
- Russian Federation
- Kazakhstan
- Tajikistan
Bull at the Moscow breeding cattle exhibition, 1896 | |
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| Country of origin | western Mongolia, southern Altai |
| Distribution |
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| Use | Livestock |
| Traits | |
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| Height |
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| Coat | red of various shades; white markings on head, belly and legs; pale muzzle |
| Horn status | horned; short, upward pointing |
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History
It is believed that the Kalmyk originated in Dzungaria, and was brought into south-eastern Russia by migrating Kalmyks in the seventeenth century.[5]: 214
In 1980 the total population of the breed in the Soviet Union was estimated at 381000, of which 217000 were purebred.[6]: 3 In 2023 the Kalmyk was reported to DAD-IS by the Russian Federation, and by Kazakhstan and Tajikistan; no population data was reported, and the conservation status of the breed in those countries was 'unknown'.[3]
Characteristics
The Kalmyk is compact and of medium size: the average bodyweight for cows is 430 kg, for bulls 720 kg; average heights are 126 cm and 135 cm respectively.[4] The coat is red, in varying shades, with white markings to the head, belly, and legs. The head is small, with a long face and short horns.[6]: 83
