Use : Chianinas are not only outstanding beef producers by and of themselves , they are astray employ as sires to produce composite breed like the Chiangus and Red Chiangus ( a blending of Chianina and Angus genetic science ) , Chiford ( Chianina and Hereford ) , and Chimaine ( Chianina and Maine - Anjou ) , all of which are also register with the American Chianina Association .
History : The Chianina ( kee - a - NEE - sodium ) is an ancient breed that originated in the Chianina Valley in central Italy at least 2000 years ago . Developed as massive , hard - working draught animals , from the beginning Chianinas were tall , muscular cattle . papistic generator Virgil and Columella sang their praises and they model for ancient Roman creative person whose work survives to modern metre . Chianinas remained for the most part unchanged through the musical passage of time . When United States military personnel place in Italy during World War II ‘ discovered ’ Chianinas , they were the largest cattle in the world , with mature oxen frequently standing six feet tall at the withers and weigh 3500 pounds . American soldier that acclaim from Bos taurus country instantly realized the strain ’s potential difference but at the time , United States Department of Agriculture ordinance prohibited import of hoof stock from Italy . Eventually a individual quarantine place was established in Italy for the ingathering , processing , and cargo of European bull semen to North America and in 1971 Chianina genetics finally crossed the ocean to America in the form of cool off semen collected from an Italian shit nominate Diaceto I. American beef producers now accrue in erotic love with the monumental Chianina and in 1972 the American Chianina Association was organize . And then in 1973 , Italian Chianinas were leave into this nation by agency of Canada . Particularly huge Chianinas from the plains of Arezzo and Siena supplied most of the foundation stock and semen used to give the breed in North America .
Conformation : Chianina colors range from porcelain ashen to pearly gray ; bulls are often a shade of drear gray on their forequarters . Both sexes have dark - pigment skin overlain by short , close - lying , glossy hair , making swooning colors appear to be silvery lily-white . sura are grayish brown - colored at birth but lighten to their true colouring material by three to five month of age . The Chianina ’s bottom switch is black , as is his nose , clapper , palate , and the skin around his eye . Chianinas have stout but relatively lightweight skeletal structures that , pair with their long , smooth muscular structure , report for an salient meat fruit of roughly 65 percent of live weightiness . Their legs are longer than those of most other Bos taurus breeds and their hooves unusually potent . Chianina faces are long and unbent , topped by short , graceful horns that curve forward . Newborn Chianina calves ’ horn are calamitous but their horn turn lighter beginning at the al-Qaeda as the calves mature .
Special Considerations / Notes : Chianinas are famous for their heating plant tolerance yet they do well in coolheaded climates too . Their gestation runs a few day longer than British strain . Due to their calves ’ small heads , break up trouble are rare . They and their hybridise offspring are widely used throughout New England as competition exercising weight - pulling cows but due to their immense size and alert dispositions , they are ox easily trained and do by by experienced drovers .
