A private quarantine station was established in Italy where semen was collected, processed and shipped to breeders in the U.S. United States Department of Agriculture regulations prohibited the importation of cattle from countries having Foot and Mouth disease, and Italy was one of those countries. Diaceto I was the first Italian fullblood bull to be collected.įor the first few years, Chianina genetics were attainable only through semen. when the first semen was imported from Italy. In 1971, Chianina genetics were introduced to the U.S. servicemen, stationed in Italy during World War II, discovered Chianina. The later selections for beef production has maintained the size of the breed and improved the rate of growth.
Good dispositions were also desired in the draft animals. The earlier selection for work animals had produced a very large breed with considerable length of leg, good action, and heavy muscling. With the advent of modern mechanized farming practices they selection emphasis has been placed on the breeds ability to produce beef. Until recent times the Chianina were used primarily as draft animals in their homeland. The name comes from the Chiana Valley in the province of Tuscany in Central Italy which is where Chianti wine is made. The largest representatives of the breed, from the plains of Arezzo and Siena, have supplied most of the foundation stock that has been used in the United States and Canada. Because of this, the cattle vary in size and type from region to region. The breed originated primarily in the west central part of Italy and was found in a wide variety of environmental conditions. They were praised by the Georgic poets, Columella and Vergil, and were the models for Roman sculptures. HistoryThe Chianina (pronounced kee-a-nee-na) may well be one of the oldest breeds of cattle in existence.
0 kommentar(er)
