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Canadienne

Canadienne Cow Breed:

The Canadienne cow was brought from France to Canada in the 1600s.



This cow was quite popular and extensively used in Canada till the middle of 1800s, when other hybridized breeds began to grow in popularity too. The dairy farmers were told that the hybridized breeds would improve the milk yield and the government endorsed the European breeds. Later on, this trend was reversed, and the Canadienne was favored again by farmers.





Canadienne cattle are great for homesteads with a focus on grass fed cattle as this kind of cattle thrives on those pastures that other breeds of cattle would languish on. This breed of cattle can live on low quality forage and still produce milk. Thus, the Canadienne is good for weedy pastures and cold climates.

Canadienne Information: This breed of cattle is unique to Canada.



Somewhere in the 1850s farmers were discouraged from breeding Canadiennes. At this time, a few men saved this breed from extinction by forming a breeding society. A herd book was maintained and the French Canadian Cattle Breeders’ Association was formed. Thus, the new “La Canadienne” breed was bred in North America.

Future: People in Quebec are enthusiastic about the breed of cattle and there is an active breed society for it. The Quebec government gave it recognition in 1999.
 
Characteristics of Canadienne: This breed of cattle looks similar to the Guernsey and Jersey cows, which are of Norman-Breton and Britain origin. The calves are light brown in color, and through the years turn dark brown and then black. Some cows are russet, tawny or light brown. They are lighter along the udder, muzzle and back line.

When the calves are born, they are about 30 kg, but as they grow up, they can weigh between 450-500 kg. The bulls can be 700-800 kg. The cows are fertile and calve easily. This breed of cattle is known to adapt well to harsh weather conditions, which are typical of Canada.

Uses: This is a hardy and productive breed. The cows produce a lot of milk rich in protein and butterfat. The milk is often used for making cheese. This breed of cattle is also known for their grazing abilities and good for dairymen who want to work out an intensive pasture management system.

Inbreeding: Inbreeding among this breed is lower than many other breeds. A lot of thought is put into the breeding project, so that the cows produced are efficient milk givers.

 
  Submitted on January 20, 2010