The Murnau-Werdenfels cattle are an old breed of cattle from Upper Bavaria, the southernmost part of Germany. It is a robust dairy cattle breed which is raised primarily for milk production.
The breed originated in Tyrol, Austria and it is closely related to Braunvieh, Brown Swiss and Tyrolese Grey cattle.
Today it is a pretty rare breed and in danger of extinction, with only around 130 cows in the herdbook and frozen seeds from around eleven bulls.
Currently the main breeding region of the Murnau-Werdenfels cattle is around Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Murnau that is also called “Werdenfels Country”.
In the year of 2007, the breed was voted Endangered Breed by the German Society for the Conservation of Old and Endangered Livestock Breeds.
A suckler herd of cows and a sperm bank is maintained by the Federal State of Bavaria. And it also gives financial support to the breeders for keeping these animals.
The Murnau-Werdenfels cattle are also a part of the Ark of Taste of the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity. The foundation is dedicated to the preserving of endangered agricultural heritage.
And with the help of the association for promoting the breed, created in 2009, the total number of the Murnau-Werdenfels cattle are increasing every year. Read more information about this cattle breed in the following chart.
Murnau-Werdenfels Cattle Characteristics
Murnau-Werdenfels cattle are medium sized animals. They are mainly of brown-yellow colored. But there are great color variations from straw-yellow to reddish brown.
They have a dark muzzle, and there is a white rim around the muzzle. Their hooves and horn tips are of black color. Both bulls and cows usually have horns.
Average height of the Murnau-Werdenfels bulls is about 138-145 cm, and 128-130 cm for the cows.
The cows weight between 500 and 600 kg. And average live body weight of the bulls vary from 850 to 950 kg. Photo and info from Wikipedia.
Uses
Murnau-Werdenfels cattle are a dairy cattle breed. They are primarily used for milk production.
Special Notes
The Murnau-Werdenfels cattle are very long lived animals and fertile. They are specially adapted to a husbandry in boggy landscapes of Germany.
The cows are pretty good milk producers. They can produce around 4300 kg of milk per year. Their milk contain about 3.4 percent protein and about 3.8 percent fat.
The animals can also be used for the production of beef. Previously it was an important cattle breed and was a great source of income for the small farms. Review full breed profile of the Murnau-Werdenfels cattle in the following chart.
| Breed Name | Murnau-Werdenfels | |
| Other Name | None | |
| Breed Purpose | Milk | |
| Special Notes | Strong, hardy, good milk producers | |
| Breed Size | Medium | |
| Bulls | 850 to 950 kg | |
| Cows | 500 to 600 kg | |
| Climate Tolerance | All Climates | |
| Coat Color | Mainly brown-yellow | |
| Horned | Yes | |
| Milk Yield | Good | |
| Rarity | Common | |
| Country/Place of Origin | Germany |
