Cattle : PARTHENAISE

 

Australian Status:

Country of origin: centre of France

International status: France, Britain (1990's), USA, Australia, Canada, USA.

Arrived in Australia: 1990's as straws. Over 100 embryos 2019-2021.

Australian Population: 2022: about 75 breeding age females.

Distribution: Victoria / NSW / Queensland 

History: One of the oldest breeds in France. Herdbook established 1893. There are over 40,000 of the breed in France. Named for the town of Parthenay, in the department of Deux-Sevres in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. 

Breed traits: Triple purpose - draught, milk - and known for making butter - and beef. Now primarily bred for beef. The breed organisation in France, in 1971, decided to base all performance and selection on beef characteristics.

Fertile. Solid colour - red to buckskin but usually a golden wheat colour - darker 'halos'  around neck, eyes, ears, jaw. Pale around muzzle - coloured much like a Jersey.

High muscle to bone ratio. Tender, lean beef, lower cholesterol than chicken. Low intermuscular fat. Excellent carcass yield of up to 67%. Butchers praised them for much less wastage than other beasts, more prime cuts (thanks for info Jeremiah Park).

Thin, fine bone. Calve easily as despite muscle mass the bone is fine. 

Good doers. Thrive perfectly well on pasture - Jeremiah Park are pasture raised and dress out to top weights. Hardy. Good milk supply ensures fast growing, healthy calves.

Docile temperament, good friendly cattle.

Cows 650-800kg, bulls 950-1,200kg.

Good fertility.

In France they're shedded for winter in extreme cold altitudes, but not neccessary of course for most conditions here.

Organisation: Australian register planning to be established in 2022 Parthenaise Beef Australasia replies promptly to queries and is helpful.

Parthenaise Australia have a great website with lots good photos, about fifty fullblood cows, many upgrades, quality straws; very helpful. In Victoria.

Britain, Ireland, Canada and other countries have organisations for the breed.

Agrigene brought straws here in the 1990's. The first embryos came here in 2019.

Parthenaise Australia  are very helpful and are keenly establishing the breed here, also sell straws. They go to Ireland and France to inspect and choose their stock so it's all top quality. They have up to F3's as well as fullbloods.

Photo: Taureau race parthenaise concours à St Maixent 27/09/08, by Andre Bianco, on Flickr

 

 

Page by Janet Lane
Thank you to Andrew Kennett and Jeremiah Park for some details and census help.

Updated J.Lane Aug. 2022.

 

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