Ländle Kalb

 
Record Number: 119 
 
Disclosure Date
The organised breeding of the Ländle Kalb began in 1862 with the establishment of the “Vorarlbergischer Landwirtschaftsverein” (Vorarlberg Farmers’ Association). 
 
 

Photo: BMLFUW/A...

Title
Ländle Kalb
(Ländle calf)
 
 
 
 
 
Abstract or claim
The Ländle Kalb is the result of traditional knowledge of breeding and extensive cattle husbandry of the native cattle breed Braunvieh (brown cattle) or Braunvieh crossbreeds in Vorarlberg.
The Ländle Kalb is born, fattened and slaughtered in Vorarlberg.
Ländle Kalb beef is characterised by its excellent mild taste as well as its tenderness and leanness.
The Ländle Kalb is well-adapted to the alpine pastures in Vorarlberg.
The extensive keeping of the Ländle Kalb over centuries has made an important contribution to the sustainable preservation of the alpine landscape of Vorarlberg.
 
Name of product, Product class
Veal, beef, fresh meat
 
Name of region
Vorarlberg, Austria
 
Field of search
Food and agriculture
 
Name of information provider
Matthias Marxgut
Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH
(Ländle Quality Products Marketing GmbH)
 
Name of applicant for title
Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH
(Ländle Quality Products Marketing GmbH)
 
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
Numerous farmers in Vorarlberg, about 20 butchers
 
Grantee(s), holder(s), assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH
(Ländle Quality Products Marketing GmbH) 
 
Descriptors
- History:
As humans turned to settlement in the Early Period, the keeping of domestic animals grew in importance, since these made humans increasingly less dependent on hunting, because the domestic animals provided meat, fat, milk and eggs.
Cattle have always been one of the most important domestic animals. The aurochs is considered to be the ancestor of our domestic cattle.
 
The first written reference to cattle in the Alps dates back to the Roman occupation of this region in 15 BC. In the course of the centuries, different valley-specific types of cattle breeds developed in Vorarlberg, which differed in size, colour and milk and meat yield.
 
The organised breeding of the Ländle Kalb began in 1862 with the establishment of the “Vorarlbergischer Landwirtschaftsverein” (Vorarlberg Farmers’ Association). In 1923, the name was changed to “Vorarlberger Braunviehzuchtverband” (Vorarlberg Braunvieh Breeding Association).
In 1994, work began on the “Ländle” quality brand.
 
In 2001, the Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH (Ländle Quality Products Marketing GmbH) was established. It is the central source for marketing and quality assurance of all the agricultural products of Vorarlberg. Its goal is to promote local products and to improve their quality, thus increasing their added value.
 
- Region:
Vorarlberg (called “Ländle” in the local dialect) is the westernmost province of Austria. It is bordered by Lake Constance and the Rhine River to the west, the Arlberg and Verwall mountain ranges to the east, the Rätikon and Silvretta mountain ranges to the south and the German Allgäu to the north.
Vorarlberg borders on Bavaria (Germany), Graubünden and St. Gallen (Switzerland), the Principality of Liechtenstein and Tyrol (Austria).
 
Soil and climate conditions:
Vorarlberg’s soil is well suited for alpine farming. This is why about 53,000 hectares of the 105,000 hectares of arable farm land in Vorarlberg are used for alpine farming.
 
Vorarlberg has one of the highest levels of precipitation in Austria (1,500 to 2,000 mm).
 
Habitat:
The meadows and extensive alpine pastures offer excellent conditions for cattle breeding in Vorarlberg.
The alpine pastures extend from Lake Constance to the Bregenzerwald region at an altitude of about 400 to 1,300 m.
 
Highly developed alpine farming is made possible by the high percentage of meadow and pasture land (19.83%) as well as alpine mountain pastures and mountain meadows on steep slopes (32.15%).
More than half of the 62,400 cattle (2001) spend the summer on one of the 566 cultivated alpine pastures.
 
The regional climatic and soil conditions result in a mountain flora which is characterised by a great diversity of alpine plants.
 
The specific diversity of grasses and herbs in the fodder and the hay provides the basis for the unique taste of Ländle Kalb.
 
Vorarlberg offers perfect conditions for cattle breeding with its combination of pasture-friendly climatic conditions, extensive alpine pastures and the resulting possibilities for healthy animal development.
 
- Ländle Kalb (Ländle calf):
The term Ländle Kalb Region of Delight represents calves of the breeds Braunvieh as well as Braunvieh crossbreeds (F1-crossbreed) and special meat breeds, frequently Angus, to increase the quality of the meat.
 
The Ländle Kalb is a cattle breed rooted in the region. It is perfectly suited to the alpine environmental conditions of the mountain regions in Vorarlberg.
 
Method of production:
Breeding/fattening:
The Ländle Kalb is guaranteed to be born, fattened and slaughtered in Vorarlberg, and to be raised in a healthy, suitable environment with plenty of open space.
 
The method of raising the breeding flock is specific to the region. The cattle are mainly raised on small farms using extensive husbandry systems.
The calves which are born in the spring are mainly kept on pastures together with the females. This way of raising the cattle ensures rearing in a natural environment and is an essential factor for the well-being of the animals. The population density is limited by the available grassland.
Calves born in autumn are kept in free stalls.
 
Feeding:
Ländle Kalb may only be fed full milk or a milk substitute without the addition of any substances of animal origin. Sometimes they are also suckled by their mothers.
 
The administration of growth hormones, meat-and-bone meal, antibiotic performance boosters or other chemical additives is strictly forbidden.
 
The type of rearing causes the animal to grow more slowly, which has a positive effect on the meat quality and flavour.
 
Calving:
The main calving period is in spring and autumn.
 
Transport and slaughter:
The Ländle Kalb is slaughtered at an age of about 5 months. The carcass weight is about 130 kg and the live weight is around 160 kg.
 
The animals are slaughtered in a slaughterhouse and at numerous regional butchers’ shops.
 
Most of the calves are delivered to the slaughterhouse by the farmers themselves to guarantee short journeys and better meat quality due to less stress.
 
The carcasses are marked with consecutive slaughter numbers for the purposes of identification.
 
Description of the meat:
The meat is from calves born and raised in Vorarlberg.
The Ländle Kalb is characterised by its lean, tender and delicious meat of outstanding quality.
Ländle Kalb meat has a very unique aroma and flavour, which is a direct result of the native plants growing on high-alpine pastures.
 
The meat has achieved classes “U” and “R” and sometimes “E” and “O” of the EUROP grading scale. The fat content has achieved classes 2 and 3 according to the EUROP grading scale.
 
Quality control:
The meat safety and quality are ensured by official inspections by veterinarians.
The farmers undergo animal feed inspections and residue examinations once a year conducted by the Chamber of Agriculture as well as veterinarians.
 
Quality labelling:
Ländle Kalb calves are labelled with the “Luag druf – Ländle Qualität” (Look for the seal – Ländle quality) seal of quality, which stands for the local production and processing of products in Vorarlberg. It also ensures compliance with the strict quality guidelines.
The seal of quality is a guarantee of Vorarlberg origin and is only granted by Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH (Ländle Quality Products Marketing GmbH) if all the guidelines have been strictly complied with. There are internal and external inspections as well as monitoring by the farmers themselves and the participating processing facilities, marketers and restaurants.
 
Proof of origin:
The calves are identified by official ear tags in accordance with the Tierkennzeichnungs- und Registrierungsverordnung 2007 (Austrian Animal Identification and Registration Ordinance).
 
The traceability of the cattle and the cattle farm at the point of sale is ensured by the “bos” system of AMA (Agrarmarkt Austria).
The “bos” symbol is a label for beef that guarantees full traceability from the animal’s birth to the meat being served.
 
- Marketing:
The “Ländle meat” is considered to be an excellent, natural niche product.
 
The Ländle Kalb is mainly marketed in spring and autumn.
The Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH (Ländle Quality Products Marketing GmbH) and the butchers’ shops are responsible for the marketing.
The meat is offered in retail food stores, restaurants and through direct marketing.
 
Connection between the geographical area and traditional knowledge
- Specific soil and climatic conditions in the
  alpine Vorarlberg region lead to extensive,
  local, alpine flora which enables extensive cattle husbandry on
  the alpine pastures.
- Typical keeping systems: extensive keeping of cattle herds on alpine
  pastures during the growing season.
- Thanks to this method of keeping, beef with a characteristic texture
  and marbling can be produced. The meat boasts a unique aroma and flavour
  which are directly connected to the local, alpine flora in the feed.
- The breeding of Ländle Kalb is the result of traditional knowledge, which has
  been passed on from generation to generation: Traditional knowledge of and
  experience in cattle husbandry (adapting the keeping of the herd to
  environmental conditions, know-how of the shepherds, the type of veal
  production, cattle husbandry in mountain regions, know-how of the
  slaughterers (animal transport, experience in slaughtering and cutting up,
  special meat maturing process) and the experience of the Ländle
  Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH (Ländle Quality Products Marketing GmbH).
 
- Utilisation:
-
 
- Protection:
“Ländle Produkte” word/picture trademark (Austrian Patent Office, registry no. 219 535, in 2004)
Proprietor of the trademark: Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH
 
“Ländle Qualität – Luag druf” word/picture trademark (Austrian Patent Office, registry no. 210 540, in 2003)
Proprietor of the trademark: Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH
 
Key Words
Food and agriculture, traditional knowledge, Austria, Vorarlberg, region, Ländle, calf, beef, Braunvieh, Ländle Kalb
 
Bibliography / References
- CTM-ONLINE - Ausführliche Markeninformation
  http://oami.europa.eu/CTMOnline/RequestManager/de_Result_NoReg
- Ländle Kalb
  www.genuss-region.at
- Ländle Kalb ist nachvollziehbar
  http://www.laendle.at/start.php4?m1id=3&m2id=40
- Qualitätsrichtlinien Ländle Kalb
  http://www.laendle.at/FILEPOOL/03%20LQM/1_GUETESIEGEL_DACHMARKE/QS_PDF/qs_laendle_kalb.pdf
- Ländle Kalb
  http://www.vorarlbergisst.at/index.php?id=kalb
- Projekt Nahrung (2) Milch, Käse und Viehzucht im
  Bodenseeraum
  http://www2.vol.at/riedenburg/projekte/bo-milch.htm
- Kulinarisches Vorarlberg
  http://www.rezeptesammlung.net/vorarlberg_kulinarisches.htm
- Bregenz: Historische Entwicklung
  http://www.bregenz.at/fileadmin/Downloads/Wirtschaft_Zahlen_Fakten/historischesundStadtgebietdoc_01.pdf
- Vorarlberg
  http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vorarlberg
- Vorarlberg
  http://aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at/aeiou.encyclop.v/v885304.htm
 
All internet references last accessed on 23 June 2009.
 
Language Code
German
 
Product of www.genuss-region.at
Yes
 
Regional contact
Matthias Marxgut
Ländle Qualitätsprodukte Marketing GmbH
6900 Bregenz
Montfortstrasse 11
Phone: 05574 400 700; Fax: 05574 400 600
Email: laendle@lk-vbg.at  
www.laendle.at  
 
Authors: Eva Sommer, Erhard Höbaus 
 

28.11.2011, Lebensministerium III/4