Corsica (bovine race)

Origin

It is high almost exclusively in its soil of origin: the Corsica island of . According to the theories, it would be downward direct of a type of aurochs arrived on the island as of the Préhistoire, or would belong to the branch of the brown Vache S of the Atlas. It would be then the only French race resulting from this branch and would probably have been introduced into the island as of the Antiquité, as of the cows which it resembles: Sarda in Sardinia, Mallorquina, Menorquina with the Balearic Islands…
Elle does not have a herd book, however, studies showed that its insulation during several millenia made it possible to constitute a stable homogeneous population. In 2001, there were 28000 cows and 1300 bulls goes up from there natural, for six bulls in artificial insemination. Manpower is stable and 60% of the females reproduce in pure race.

Morphology

It wears a fawn-coloured dress, with nuances which go from wheat to the dark chatain, while passing by the gray. The belly is often clearer. The mucous membranes are dark. The spots are rare. The horns in quadrant are carried high.
C' is a race of small size and reduced weight. The cow measures 1,15 m for 280 kg, and the bull 1,20 m for 350 kg.

Aptitudes

It is a race raised for its meat. Formerly, it was also used for traction, but its small size limited its capacities. It is not milked, the Corsican cheese-making tradition being founded on the Lait of ewe or goat. Its dairy production is poor, but is enough has to raise a Veau per annum.

Good heat strength
Good aptitude to transform a poor food. (Corsican Maquis)
Good capacity to reconstitute its body reserves after period of food shortage. (estival dryness)
Facilitated vélage. (it vèle only in the open air)
Excellent maternal qualities.

Currently, two distinct breedings are practiced. In mountain, it is high in pure race, in zones where it is the only one with being profitable. It is about a extensive breeding, almost in freedom. This breeding provides grazing calves (local name: manzu) and of the heifers intended for the reproduction. In more favorable zone, one finds herds of female Corsican cows, crossed with bulls of races bouchères of better conformation and to faster growth in intensive breeding

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