Bazadaise

BazadaisThe useful, hardy Bazadaise Cow, known and adored in a few countries, is nevertheless almost unknown to much of the rest of the world! Bazadaise Cattle are extremely hardy and intelligent. They are alert and quite easy to handle, and adapt well to all climates, from the heat of Australia’s central states to the chill of French Alpine Meadows. These docile animals are also naturally resistant to fleas and possibly ticks!

With very long, well-muscled bodies, Bazadaise Cattle have an athletic appearance. They are a smoky or charcoal gray in color, though calves are born fawn-colored and acquire a gray coat later. Their muzzles, mucous membranes, and eyes are smudged a terracotta color! Generally, Bazadaise Cattle have good conformation and a clean undercarriage. Their bone structure is light, and their small, extremely hard hooves are black or very dark brown.

Bazadais2The rump in Bazadaise Cattle is very well rounded and the back is large. Bazadaise Cattle stand 135 centimeters at the shoulder, and males are about ten centimeters taller. Bulls weigh 950 kilograms while females are 300 kilograms lighter. The meat is lightly marbled and has an excellent flavor, and the carcass yield is quite high!

Originally developed as work animals, the Bazadaise Cow today has evolved as a beef breed. It comes from the area of France around the town of Baza, hence the name! Although its origins are obscured, generally it is thought that Bazadaise Cattle are the result of crosses between local French breeds like the Marini and other, foreign cattle, perhaps the Bos Indicus, as early as the Moorish invasions in the Middle Ages!

Bazadais1The herd book was established in 1895 and in the period before World War II, the Bazadaise rapidly gained in popularity. It was introduced to Australia in 1991 and since then has acquired many enthusiasts! Since Bazadaise are much hardier than other cattle, they may be turned out to graze at one year of age rather than two. Bazadaise are a good breed to mix into any cattle, as their crossbred calves exhibit their clean, alert characteristics and their extreme vigor.

Bazadaise calves are born small, making calving easy. They quickly gain in weight and height after birth, and are alert and able to move on their own almost immediately after birth! Generally, they weigh 35 to 42 kilograms. Bazadaise Cattle have a calving interval of about 380 days.