Grey Ukrainian Cow

A dirtect descendent of the Bos Taurus Pimigenius, a wild bull species, this breed is one of a wide range of grey cattle breeds that once populated the entire Mediterranean and Black Sea. In the ex-USSR, the Grey Ukrainian cow is classified into different types based on phenotype: Bessarabiana, Hersonese, Cherkesso and Cuban. The Grey Ukranian is disease resistant, and is well-adapted to extreme climates. During the Soviet regime, this breed was interbred for decades with the objective of increasing milk content. Initially, this was a breed meant for producing meat and working the fields: it could work for 10 – 12 hours straight in the fields. In 1917, it was recognized as the best beef breed in Russia. The meat is lean, and the animal has a layer of fat just under its skin. It is comparable, at the level of nutrition and taste quality, to the French Charole variety and Italian Chianina. The veal calves at 18 months weigh 500 kilos, and at 2 years weigh 670 kilos. The breed has a high yield of usable meat: between 59 and 61%.The vast area of the steppe is the ideal habitat for this breed, thanks to the composition of the natural pasture, the climate (warm summer and cold winter) and to the fact that it is possible to leave the animals out to graze all year long. Currently, around 300 head of cattle are conserved in Ukraine near the city of Herson, in the natural reserve of Aksania Nova, which is part of a research centre for breeding. An additional 100 head are located in Siberia, in the region of Shebalin, in the Altai experimental breeding center. Without a concrete intervention to assist in the development of this breed, it is at grave risk of extinction.