Podolian Cow
Background
Podolian cow originates directly from European wild cow, the tur (Bos primigenius Bojenus). These and other similar cows were spread on the vast area from Russian steppes to the North Adriatic Sea . They were grown in Podolia (after which it got the name), Volinia , Galicia , Hungary , Romania , Bulgaria , Vojvodina and Slavonia . In Italy there are several breeds similar to Podolian cow which are characterized by good fattening characteristics.According to Bodo (1986) the only relative of Podolian Cow is the Italian breed called Maremmana.
There are some data that big herds of Podolian cows were driven from the Pannonian Plain into the big cities. Middle Europe, Venice , Nierenberg, Augsburg and Vienna , which the cattle reached in good condition, were the famous marketplaces where these cows were appreciated for their meat. But in the 18th and 19th centuries the areas of pastures, where these cows were fed, were reduced due to spreading of fertile fields. In these changed conditions Podolian cow became the main power for cultivating the land.
Podolian cow from Vojvodina influenced both creating of the Kolubara cow in Serbia in the upstream area of the Kolubara River and cattle raising of Bosnian Posavina, where the Posavina cow or “gulja” was raised. The Podolian cow was used as a base for breeding the domestic multicoloured breed using the method of mixing with the Simmental cow.
Podolian Cow Description
Podolian cow belongs to big cattle. The hair is grey slightly shadowed on the neck, belly and outer parts of limbs. It has extremely big ilyra-shaped horns which can be 1m long and whose span can be 1.5m. This breed is characterized by firm hooves, regularly positioned legs, dry joints, strong tendons and long pace.
Characteristics
Podolian cow is characterized by rather slow growth and low production of milk and meat. Its best characteristic is its working ability which lost its importance with the development of the intensive agricultural production. On smaller farms they were replaced by horses and on bigger ones by mechanization. The production of milk is very low. The amount of milk is just enough to feed the calves. The fattening ability is low as well. It is known that it uses more food compared to its growth and that it has more fat in later periods of life. Meat is dry and tough.
Podolian cow was grown under the most extensive conditions. Pastures, which were mostly without grass in July and August, were used for summer feeding. Having been harvested the fields were used for feeding until the late autumn.In the winter the feeding was even poorer, only hay and cornstalks. Very rarely grain food was added and only to the cows with calves or to oxen before the beginning of the working season. In such a system of feeding Podolian cow, well adjusted to the Pannonian Plain, gave adequate production compared with provided conditions.
There are some other characteristics of the breed:
- The ability to adjust to the climate conditions
- Resistance to illnesses (the resistance to TBC is 4.2% with Podolian cow and 17.7% with Simmental cow)
- The ability of compensation after bad conditions
- Easy bringing forth young, almost without help
- Good maternity characteristics
About the Project
Today, Podolian cows have been raised on the pasture of Valjevac on the area of 300ha where there are about 80 of them now.
Untill 1990s Podolian cows were raised on those locations in Vojvodina: Bačka Topola (Sabolč Tružinski – 200). Today Podolian cows are raised in SNR Zasavica (80 specimens) and Vršac (50).
All the cattle is covered by the programme of protecting animal species under the Ministry of Agriculture, Waterpower Engineering and Forestry of the Republic of Serbia.