Chianina Traits
Chianina has a porcelain-white coat with slate-gray skin and black pigmentation around the natural orifices. Its head is light and expressive and it has short horns. The Chianina has a long cylindrical trunk with a thick wide back and loins, a broad horizontal rump, long convex-shaped thighs and buttocks, a solid but lightweight skeletal structure and correct perpendicularity.
Chianina Breed Characteristics/Features
Chianina calves are wheat-colored at birth, but by the age of three-four months their coat turns to the color typical of this breed.
In this breed which is renowned for its somatic gigantism, calving is completely spontaneous - even for calves weighing up to 50 kg - thanks to the Chianina's typical dolichomorphic structure. Cows weigh an average of 800-900 kg and weight can often go as high as 1000 kg. The most famous Chianina bulls have reached truly outstanding sizes up to 1700 kg in weight, with a height of two meters at the withers.
Other Additional Information
Chianina growth potential in the best subjects can exceed 2 kg a day.
Idead slaughter weight is 650-700 kg at an age of 16-18 months, for a yield of 64-65%. Chianina beef is famous for its excellence, as well as its good nutritional value and a calorie content that is less than skinned chicken.
Ancient History
It is believed that the origin of the Chianina began in the Bronze Age at about 1500 BC from animals of Asia and Africa brought into Italy. It can be said that the Chianina are among the oldest, if not the oldest, of purebred bovine breeds.
The legacy of this “breeding programme” is great uniformity within the breed, their excellently developed legs, hard hooves, their endurance and their docility.
They obtain their name from the Chianina Valley in the province of Tuscany in Central Italy, famous for Chianti grapes and wine. Chianina (pronounced Key-a-nee-na) are the principal breed for work and beef cattle production in Italy. Val di Chiana Cattle, those of the Valley of the Chiana, are acknowledged to be the largest breed of cattle in the World.
Modern History
Up to the end of the Second World War the Chianina were the primary beast of burden in Italy, but the advent of tractors led to a dramatic decline in numbers, & there was genuine fear for the future of the breed.
In response the Italian Government created in the the 1980s the National Association of Italian Beef Cattle (ANABIC) as a genetic research station to optimize the breed for meat production .A meticulous selection program for greater musculature & desirable carcass characteristics was undertaken across the entire herdbook, which has resulted in the modern Chianina being a far superior beef animal than previously, but without the loss of the gigantism & growth rate for which they are renowned.
FUN FACT
World’s Largest Cattle
A Chianina bull named Donetto holds the world record for the heaviest bull. One source reported his weight as 1,740 kg (3,840 lb) when exhibited at the Arezzo show in 1955, while others—including the Tenuta La Fratta near Sinalunga in the province of Siena, where he was bred—gave his weight as 1,780 kg (3,920 lb) and his height as 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) at the age of eight.
MUST TRY
Bistecca alla Fiorentina
Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a celebrated Tuscan dish featuring a thick-cut T-bone steak, traditionally sourced from the Chianina cattle breed. Renowned for their size and tenderness, Chianina cattle contribute to the steak's exceptional flavor and texture. The cut includes both the tenderloin and sirloin, separated by a T-shaped bone. The steak is typically at least 3-4 fingers thick, weighing between 1.5 to 2 kilograms, and is customarily cooked rare to maintain its juiciness and tenderness. Preparation involves grilling the meat over high heat, creating a crispy exterior while keeping the interior red, soft, and juicy. This simplicity in preparation allows the quality of the meat to be the focal point, making it a must-try for meat enthusiasts.
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