Embedded Files
This site is under construction 🚧🙂🚧 Message the mods at our Reddit community if you'd like to help. We'd be excited to have it!
Table of Contents
Types of Bovine
Types of Bovine
Wild Bovine
Wild Bovine
Bred-Back Bovine
Bred-Back Bovine
Tauros
Tauros
"For millions of years, European land has been grazed – by wild herbivores, and, far more recently, by domestic cattle. This grazing has kept parts of the land free from forest, providing open habitats that support a wide range of plants and animals.
But today a decline in animal husbandry across Europe means these habitats, and their biodiversity, are in danger of disappearing. This is where the aurochs, or its descendant – the so-called “Tauros” – comes in. Through selective breeding, Rewilding Europe and its partners want Tauros to occupy the niche the aurochs once filled, keeping Europe’s rich mosaic of open landscapes flourishing through natural grazing." - Tauros Programme
Ancient Cattle Breeds
Ancient Cattle Breeds
Pajuna and Maremmana breeds involved in this transportation, as well as others such as the Sayaguesa and Maronesa.
Boškarin
Boškarin
"Boškarin or Istrian cattle is a breed of dairy cattle originating from Istria (northwestern Croatia and southwestern Slovenia). The breed had almost completely disappeared, but thanks to the establishment of the Federation of Istrian Cattle Breeders it was saved, and today has a population of 350 cows and 8 bulls.[1][2] "
"The Boškarin is said to be descended from bulls of the Podolica breed. The breed belongs to the gray steppe branch.[4] " - Wikipedia: Boškarin
Scottish Highlander
Scottish Highlander
"Scottish Highlanders descend from the oldest bovine breed in Scotland, which walked in this rugged landscape thousands of years ago. They are well adapted to the harsh weather conditions and the lean grasslands of the Scottish Highlands. Over time, these robust animals have developed their hard and winter-haired coat to brave the cold. Scottish Highlanders still have several primitive features and are able to store many fat reserves in their tissues. They have small calves and therefore hardly have any birth problems. Slow youth growth and late sexual maturity are also primitive features. This allows them to survive well under harsh conditions." - Grazelands Rewilding: De Schotse Hooglander
"Highland cattle are the ideal choice for conservation grazing. They are hardy grazers - they will eat a wide range of vegetation unpalatable to most cattle -, live out in all seasons and weathers, and have a long breeding life. Furthermore, they are relatively light in weight and therefore reduce poaching of the ground.
Highlanders are an essential tool for Wight Conservation. Initially, a few were purchased to "scrub bash" on Mottistone Down, helping the machinery to clear the remnants of the destroyed forestry and the secondary growth resulting from the great October 1987 storm. With their long powerful horns, they fearlessly bash and clear their way through the thickest of scrub and undergrowth, eating much as they go. They trample down bracken and brambles. Where they clear, grass naturally regenerates. In spring they eat the succulent shoots of weeds we would otherwise have to control." - Wight Conservation: Highland Cattle
Projects & Programs
Projects & Programs
Europe
Europe
Germany
Germany
Auerrind Project "Currently the Auerrind project has five breeds planned for the breeding project. These are: Chianina (an Italian breed of cattle), Sayaguesa (an endangered Spanish breed of domestic cattle), Maremmana (a breed from Tuscany), Hungarian Grey (an ancient breed indigenous to Hungary) and Watusi (also known as the Egyptian or Hamitic Longhorn)."
Denmark
Denmark
Keent
The Tauros Programme "Various ancient cattle breeds are genetically very close to Aurochs. We tracked down the best breeds and found them in the mountains in Spain, Portugal and Italy. Farmers and cattle still work together there because of their physical pulling power. After some time, the first Tauros calf was born, Manolo Uno!
We are now seven generations further and Keent is the breeding ground for our total herd of around 1000 tauros. Tauros are grazing in several Dutch nature reserves, but also by areas in Spain, Portugal and Croatia."
Netherlands
Netherlands
Tauros Programme "The aurochs is the ancestor of all cattle and thereby the most important animal in the history of mankind. The keystone species for many European ecosystems was hunted to its extinction in 1627. However, its DNA is still alive and distributed among a number of the ancient original cattle breeds. “The Tauros Programme” aims to bring back the aurochs as a functional wild animal, by back-breeding the closest relatives of the original aurochs.
Grazing the landscapes of Europe, the aurochs – Europe’s original wild bovine species – once played a vital role in maintaining biodiversity. Today, nearly four centuries after the animal’s extinction, pioneering efforts by Rewilding Europe and Grazelands Rewilding are seeing this beneficial herbivore brought back to life."
Organizations
Organizations
Europe
Europe
Rewilding Europe
Croatia
Croatia
Federation of Istrian Cattle Breeders
Germany
Germany
Auerrind Project "Creating a modern-day aurochs equivalent" "Based at the Lauresham Laboratory for Experimental Archeology in the Bergstraße district of southwest Germany, as well as the nearby Association for the Reintroduction of Large Herbivores, UNESCO Global Geopark Bergstraße-Odenwald and Hohmeyer landscape conservation farm, the Auerrind project also works to raising awareness about the need for large herbivores in European nature."
Netherlands
Netherlands
Tauros Programme "The aurochs is the ancestor of all cattle and thereby the most important animal in the history of mankind. The keystone species for many European ecosystems was hunted to its extinction in 1627. However, its DNA is still alive and distributed among a number of the ancient original cattle breeds. “The Tauros Programme” aims to bring back the aurochs as a functional wild animal, by back-breeding the closest relatives of the original aurochs.
Grazing the landscapes of Europe, the aurochs – Europe’s original wild bovine species – once played a vital role in maintaining biodiversity. Today, nearly four centuries after the animal’s extinction, pioneering efforts by Rewilding Europe and Grazelands Rewilding are seeing this beneficial herbivore brought back to life."
UK
UK
Rare Breeds Survival Trust "Help us conserve and promote our UK native livestock and equine breeds"
Scotland
The Highland Cattle Society was founded in 1884 by a group of landowners and farmers who wanted to preserve this unique native breed. Today, we are proud to represent breeders across the whole of the UK and beyond, and help protect and preserve these iconic and versatile animals."
Resources
Resources
Info for Farmers
Info for Farmers
Highland Cattle Society: Conservation and Sustainable Beef Production with Highland Cattle (PDF) "Highland cattle have some qualities over other breeds that make them ideal for sustainable farming, nature recovery and conservation management."
Europe
Europe
UK
UK
Maps
Maps
Global
Global
Tauros Programme "The aurochs is the ancestor of all cattle and thereby the most important animal in the history of mankind. The keystone species for many European ecosystems was hunted to its extinction in 1627. However, its DNA is still alive and distributed among a number of the ancient original cattle breeds. “The Tauros Programme” aims to bring back the aurochs as a functional wild animal, by back-breeding the closest relatives of the original aurochs.
Grazing the landscapes of Europe, the aurochs – Europe’s original wild bovine species – once played a vital role in maintaining biodiversity. Today, nearly four centuries after the animal’s extinction, pioneering efforts by Rewilding Europe and Grazelands Rewilding are seeing this beneficial herbivore brought back to life."
Related Topics
Related Topics
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse