Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
Nordtiroler Grauvieh Almochs
Record Number: 51
Disclosure Date
The ancestors of today’s breed Tyrol Grey were kept in this region as early as about 1000 B.C. In the Schmirntal (Schmirn Valley) the keeping of cattle on pastures is known from pre-Roman times.
The Roman authors Strabo (about 63 B.C. - 23 A.D.) and Plinius the Elder (about 23 B.C. - 79 A.D.) reported on the high milk yield of these “Alpine cows”.
The domestic animal breed Grey Alpine (“Grey cattle”) was first classified in detail by F. Kaltenegger in ”Die Rinder der österreichischen Alpenländer”(1879 – 1884).
Photo: BM...
Nordtiroler Grauvieh Almochs
(North Tyrol Grey Alpine Steer)
Abstract or claim
The breeding of the Tiroler Grauvieh Almochs (Tyrol Grey Alpine Steer) is the result of Traditional Knowledge on breeding and extensive livestock husbandry in the alpine area of Tyrol.
The meat of the Tiroler Grauvieh Almochs is characterized by regular marbling and a smooth, tender texture. This, together with optimal meat ripening, accounts for the excellent flavour, the juiciness and tenderness of the beef after cooking.
Tyrol Grey is one of the oldest cattle breeds of the Alpine area. It is a particularly robust, pure-bred cattle which is well adapted to the animal husbandry of the Tyrolean alpine pastures. The extensive livestock farming of this breed over centuries has substantially contributed to the sustainable preservation of the Tyrol’s alpine landscape.
Name of product, Product class
Beef, fresh meat
Name of region
North Tyrol, Tyrol, Austria
Field of search
Food and Agriculture
Name of information provider
---
Name of applicant for title
---
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
Farmers in North Tyrol keeping Tyrol Grey
Tiroler Grauviehzuchtverband (Tyrol Grey breeding association)
Grantee(s), holder(s),
assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
Tiroler Grauviehzuchtverband (Tyrol Grey breeding association)
Ing. Otto Hausegger
Descriptors
- History:
Various historical findings suggest that the settlement of the Tyrolean Oberland started several millennia before Christ by migrating people from South-East Asia.
About 1000 B.C. these people seem to have brought a single-coloured cattle with short horns from West-Asia to Central Europe. This “Torfrind” (bos brachyceros) is regarded as one of the primary ancestors of today’s Grey cattle.
During the Migration Period in the first century A.D., the Alemanni began to settle in Tyrol. They brought with them a larger boned, silver-grey cattle.
The Ostrogoth king Theoderic the Great (454 – 526) ordered that these large-boned, silver-grey cattle should be crossed with the smaller native cattle. Due to the different breeding areas and the remoteness of the mountain valleys this resulted in local varieties of today’s Tyrol Grey.
The beginning of organized breeding led to a merging of the primitive local varieties “Oberinntaler”, “Lechtaler” and “Wipptaler” to the Tyrol Grey. The type “Oberinntaler” was the most formative one in the further development of Tyrol Grey.
In the past the castrated male Tyrol Grey bulls were kept for two purposes: as strong draught animals to be used for transportation and in agriculture and as fattening steers for meat production. As draught animals, steers were preferred over horses because they were easier to keep and to handle.
The Steers were very popular for meat production as they were very undemanding and could be kept on alpine pastures until they were of slaughterable age.
In 1874/1875 the k.u.k. Ackerbau-Ministerium (Ministry of Agriculture in the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy) commissioned F. Kaltenegger with the first description of local cattle breeds in the Alpine countries and with a performance evaluation.
In 1896 the first cattle breeding associations were established, which for the first time made the great differences between Brown cattle and Grey cattle evident.
In 1908 a Grey cattle association was established to protect and promote this breed, as cross-breeding threatened the existence of the Grey cattle.
During World War I, Grey cattle populations diminished.
In 1922, the first associations for the promotion of Grey cattle were established in the Tyrolean municipalities Fiss, Serfaus, Ladis, and Fließ.
In 1993 the trademark quality programme “Angelus”, organised by the Tyrol Grey breeding association, was launched. The initiative aims at being able to provide consumers with the rare, high-quality Tyrol Grey beef all year round.
Tyrol Grey is regarded as a rare and endangered species and is therefore part of the Austrian gene protection programme.
In 2007, this programme included 4508 head of Tyrol Grey from 1043 farms.
- Region:
Tyrol consists of the geographically separate regions of North Tyrol and East Tyrol.
The area where Tyrol Grey is raised extends from the Wipptal (Wipp Valley) to the region Oberes Gericht (in the west of North Tyrol) and includes the Inntal (Inn Valley) and its southern side valleys (Ötztal, Pitztal, Stubaital, Valsertal, Schmirntal).
The Wipp Valley extends along the Sill River southward from Innsbruck, where the Sill meets the larger Inn river, up to the Brenner Pass (1,374 m) at the Austro-Italian border. Schmirntal (Schmirn Valley) and Valsertal are side valleys of the Wipp Valley. Oberes Gericht is a region in the west of Tyrol encompassing the Upper Inn Valley between Pfunds and Fließ, the Kauner Valley and the so-called “Sonnenplateau” (sun-plateau). The Inn Valley is the biggest valley of the Tyrol, flown through by the river Inn.
Habitat:
Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
The North Tyrol Grey Alpine Steer) is born and raised on one and the same cattle farm in North Tyrol.
In addition to North Tyrol, populations of the breed Tyrol Grey can be found in different habitats in Vorarlberg, Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, South Tyrol (Italy), Switzerland and Bavaria.
Climatic conditions:
The climatic conditions between the Wipp Valley and the region Oberes Gericht correspond to that of a protected interior Alpine area.
In the regions where Tyrol Grey are kept the average rainfall ranges between 650 mm in the area Oberes Gericht and 900 mm near Innsbruck.
Most of the rainfall occurs in summer while winters are rather dry. The area is usually covered with snow for about 70 days in the Inn Valley near Innsbruck and for about 190 days in high-alpine regions.
In midsummer the air temperature rises to 19 ° C at an altitude of 1500 m, to 15 ° C at 2000 m and to 8 ° C at 2500 m during the day. Temperature slumps during nights, and frost and icy days are frequent.
- Grauvieh Almochse (Tyrol Grey Alpine Steer):
Tyrol Grey is a breed of the Gray Cattle Group, subgroup Grey mountain. The local breed name is Tiroler Grauvieh, the international breed name is “Tyrol Grey”. Additionally, the terms “Tyrolese Grey Cattle” and “Grey Alpine” are found.
Origin: Autochthonous breed of the local breeds Oberinntaler, Wipptaler and Lechtaler.
Tyrol Grey is one of the oldest, rare cattle breeds of the High Alpine regions of Austria which has adapted to the mountain climate over centuries. Tyrol Grey is a multi-purpose breed for milk and beef and has an excellent fattening performance and meat quality.
The unicoloured coat of Tyrol Grey is silver to iron-grey, sometimes brownish-grey, with certain lighter and darker spots. The skin is black. Special characteristics are a red shock of hair, black horn tips and black, hard claws.
Adult animals (males/females) have a withers height of 130/ 125 cm and a live weight of about 950/ 550 kg.
Tyrol Greys are characterized by a good forage instinct, a good feed conversion and frugality. They are robust, long-living, very fertile and lively. Moreover, they are tolerant to extreme conditions such as low temperatures, extreme variation in temperature and high solar irradiation.
Method of Production
Breeding/Fattening:
The Tyrol Grey Alpine Steer (Tiroler Grauvieh Almochse) is a castrated bull that is slaughtered at the age of 14- 18 months.
Tyrol Grey cattle are typically held on small mountain farms keeping fewer than 4 head of cattle per holding on average. 79% of the farmers are attributed to handicap zones 3 or 4 pursuant to the Austrian Mountain Farmers Ordinance (“Bergbauernverordnung”). The average farm size is 7 hectares, of which over 90% are grassland. About 50% of the farmers have less than 5 hectares available for on-farm fodder production.
Every year 83% of all Grey cattle are kept on alpine pastures during summer.
53% of the Tyrol Grey cattle breeders operate according to the principles of organic farming.
Trademark quality programme “ANGELUS”:
In 1993 the trademark quality programme “Angelus”, organised by the Tyrol Grey breeding association, was launched. The initiative aims at being able to provide consumers with high-quality Tyrol Grey beef all year round.
The way of production planned by the programme provides that Tyrol Grey has to be born, fed and raised within the area of the Tyrol Grey breeding association.
The maximum permitted number of cattle per hectare of agricultural acreage is two.
Pure-bred bull-calves have to be registered for the trademark beef quality programme within 3 months after birth.
Birth of calves is managed to be 33% in winter/spring and 17% in spring/summer and the rest over the year.
The male animals are separated from the herd at the age of about 9 months.
The management practices relate to animal well-being and are subject to strict laws and ordinances.
Steers are kept in line with the needs of the species and live in a natural environment for at least 60 day per year.
They are kept on alpine pastures at least for one season. However, in the case of pasturing on mountains keeping on alpine pastures is usually for two seasons.
Grey Cattle are kept on pastures or alpine pastures for about half a year. During winter, the animals are kept in loose housing stables.
Steers are separated from the herd or tied when cows are giving birth.
The animals are mainly fed with on-farm grass and hay. It is not permitted to feed milk exchange materials, imported feed products (soya) or maize silage. During the last two-month period preceding slaughter the use of grass silage is not allowed, either.
To obtain the desired beef quality a final fattening of the steers occurs on the farm of the breeder. For this purpose the steers are fed with grass and additionally with grain-shred from rye and barley or triticale for 8 weeks before slaughtering.
Transport and Slaughter:
Based on the fattening performance data and the age of the steers the Tyrol Grey breeding association organises the marketing of the meat to be able to offer consumers beef all year round.
The steers are slaughtered at an age of 24 - 29 months having a final fattening weight of 530 - 580 kg. A performance testing regarding fattening takes place twice per year by chest measurement in order to get an approximate indication for weight.
Special attention is paid to the welfare of the steers during transport to slaughter. Only 4 to 6 steers are transported on a vehicle equipped for 10 head of cattle. The transport distance is very short as all the steers are brought to the nearest EC slaughterhouse Huber at St. Johann, Tyrol.
The steers are slaughtered and the carcasses dissected individually. The quartered carcasses are delivered to the exclusive customer, the company Hörtnagl at Hall/Tyrol. To achieve perfect tenderness, and thus restaurant quality, the beef is allowed to ripen for 14 days and only after that is sold, seasonally from November to July.
Controls: Farms participating in the trademark quality programme “Angelus” are subject to controls by official veterinaries in the framework of epidemic prophylaxis once per year. Moreover, regular checks are carried out by the Tyrol Greybreeding association. Beef ripening and marketing are subject to controls by the company Hörtnagel.
Meat and carcasses:
The beef is from steers born and raised in North Tyrol.
Fresh meat is to be cherry-red, depending on its age.
The fat content of beef low in fat is approximately 2 g per 100 g, that of whole meat parts correspondingly higher.
Tiroler Grauvieh Almochs beef is regularly marbled and has a smooth, tender texture. This, together with optimal beef ripening, accounts for its excellent flavour, its juiciness and tenderness after cooking.
The conformation is mostly classified as grade R. In fattening trials also conformation grade E was reached.
Fat cover is 2 - 3 in the EUROP grading scale.
Beef from the Tiroler Grauvieh Almochs has a unique aroma and flavour which is directly related to the uptaken local alpine flora.
- Proof of origin:
The steers are identified by means of an official mark (ear tag) in accordance with the Austrian Animal Identification and Registration Ordinance 2007 (Tierkennzeichnungs- und Registrierungsverordnung 2007) and are recorded in a database.
Traceability from the living animal to the dissected meat at the counter is ensured by the identification system “bos” of AMA (Agrarmarkt Austria).
The beef of Tyrol Grey cattle is marketed under the quality label “Qualität Tirol” held by Agrarmarketing Tirol, which stands for the sustainable agriculture practised by the middle-class farmers and the excellent quality. Moreover, the label ensures the product’s origin and processing in Tyrol.
Connection with the geographical area and Traditional Knowledge:
- Specific soil and climate conditions in the alpine region of North Tyrol result in a rich local
flora which enables extensive management of steers on alpine pastures.
- Tyrol Grey is an autochthonous breed typical of Tyrol.
- Traditional rearing systems: Extensive keeping of the Tyrol Grey Alpine Steer on alpine
pastures during the vegetation period.
- Strong link with the area: Cattle are fed with alpine pasture grass/herbs, grass and hay
produced on the holding. Additional feeding with grain-shred is permitted only for 8 weeks
before slaughtering.
- This type of management produces steer beef with specific characteristics in terms of
conformation and marbling: The meat has a very unique aroma and flavour which is directly
related to the local alpine flora.
- The breeding of North Tyrol Grey Alpine Steers is the result of Traditional Knowledge passed
down from generation to generation in the sector: the knowledge and experience of cattle
farmers (adapting the management of herds to environmental constraints, the historical
selection of local breeds, the expertise of shepherds, the method of producing cattle, raising
of steers in mountain areas, method of steer beef production, genetic improvement), and
the knowledge of wholesale butchers (animal transport, the experience with slaughtering,
cutting up, meat ripening), and the experience of the producer associations (Grey Cattle
associations).
- Utilization:
-
- Protection:
-
Key Words
Food and agriculture, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Tyrol, region, North Tyrol, Grey Cattle, cattle, Tyrol Grey, North Tyrol Grey Alpine Steer
Bibliography / References
- Augustini, Chr. Fleischqualität bei Tiroler Grauviehochsen.
Bundeslehranstalt für Fleischforschung, Kulmbach/Germany
- Breed description: Tyrol Grey
http://www.tiho-hannover.de/einricht/zucht/eaap/descript/256.htm
- Das Rätische Grauvieh
http://www.vieh-ev.de/Rassen/Rinder/rgrauvieh.html
- Forster, H.t: Das Grauvieh in Tirol/Helmut Forster.–
Innsbruck: Wagner, 1970. Beiträge zur alpenländischen Wirtschafts- und Sozialforschung,
p. 76.
- Frickh J. J. Mastleistung, Schlachtleistung, Schlachtkörperzusammensetzung sowie
Kennzahlen der Fleischqualität von Ochsen der Rasse Tiroler Grauvieh Landwirtschaftliche
Bundesversuchswirtschaft GmbH. Final report for Project L 1205
http://www.dafne.at/dafne_plus_homepage/index.php?section=dafneplus&content=result&come_from=&&project_id=442
- Genussregion Nordtiroler Grauvieh Almochs
http://www.tirol.at/xxl/de/869993/_id/869896/index.html
- Grauvieh Grigio Alpina
http://www.grauviehhof.de/seiten/grauvieh-grigio-alpina.html
- Inntal
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inntal
- Kaltenegger F. Rinder der österreichischen Alpenländer. In: Die österreichischen Rinderrassen
(published by the k. k. Ackerbauministerium), Vienna 1879-84.
- Neue Genussregionen in Tirol ausgezeichnet
http://pte.at/pte.mc?pte=071012001
- Nordtiroler Grauvieh Almochs
http://www.amtirol.at/index.php?id=362&topId=7
- Nordtiroler Grauvieh Almochs
www.genuss-region.at
- Nordtiroler Grauvieh Almochs
http://www.weinausoesterreich.at/frischgepresst/falstaff200706a.html
- Oberes Gericht
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberes_Gericht
- ÖPUL 2007- Seltene Nutztierrassen
http://www.ama.at/Portal.Node/ama/public?gentics.rm=PCP&gentics.pm=gti_ull&p.contentid=10008.47329&MFA08_MEB_SN.pdf
- Österreichische Strategie zur Umsetzung des Übereinkommens über die biologische Vielfalt
http://www.biodiv.at/
- Projekt: Tiroler Grauvieh- Almochs
http://www.agrarprojektpreis.at/tiroler-grauvieh-almochs..326.htm
- Die Entstehungsgeschichte des Tiroler Grauviehs
http://www.grauvieh.at/
- Qualität Tirol
- http://www.amtirol.at/index.php?id=106&topId=5
- Schmirn
http://www.geschichte-tirol.com/orte/nordtirol/bezirk-innsbruck-land/651-schmirn.html
- Tiroler Grauvieh
http://www.hochmuth.it/landwirtschaft/
- Tiroler Grauvieh
http://www.tiroler-grauvieh.at/
- Tiroler Grauviehzuchtverband. Bericht 2007. In: Tiroler Grauvieh. Das Juwel der Berge.
- Tiroler Grauviehzuchtverband. Leistung macht sich bezahlt. In: Tiroler Grauvieh. Das
Juwel der Berge, No 38/March 2008.
- Tiroler Grauviehzuchtverband. Tiroler Grauvieh. Juwelen der Berge, Innsbruck, Edition
Löwenzahn, 1999. ISBN: 3706621991
- Tost J. Grauvieh-gute Mütter. Untersuchung der Mutterkuhhaltung mit Tiroler Grauvieh
in alpinen und hochalpinen Standorten Österreichs. In: Fleischrinder Journal 2/2000,
pp. 20-21.
- Valsertal
http://www.tirol.gv.at/themen/umwelt/naturschutz/tiroler-landesflaeche/valsertal/
All internet references last accessed on 4 May 2008.
Language Code
German
Product of www.genuss-region.at
Yes
Regional contact
Tiroler Grauviehzuchtverband (Tyrol Grey breeding association)
Manager Otto Hausegger
Brixnerstrasse 1
6020 Innsbruck
Phone: +43 (59292) 1840
E-mail: otto.hausegger@lk-tirol.at
Authors: Mag. Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
23.11.2010, Lebensministerium III/4