Blonde d'Aquitaine
Strong together
(Photo: Bernadette Odiet)
The cattle from the south-west of France, or more precisely from the “Nouvelle-Aquitaine” region, are tall and blond, which speaks for itself! Their coat colour ranges from creamy white to wheat, and they are also characterised by their pink-coloured mucous membranes. A hundred years ago and more, there were many different blonde breeds in south-west France – in fact, each valley had its own breed of cow. Although most were used as draught animals, some also served for milk and meat production. With the increase in tractors and other motorised vehicles, meat production in particular became more important for these strong and muscular animals.
(Photo: Bernadette Odiet)
In the 1950s, French agriculture had to be modernised and made more efficient. A decision was taken to reduce the number of indigenous breeds and to preserve only three specialised meat breeds. All breeds with less than at least one million animals were to be eliminated. To keep their “blondes” alive, three breeder groups joined forces. Thus, the new Blonde d’Aquitaine breed was created from the Garonnaise, Quercy and Blonde des Pyrénées breeds – all breeds that had themselves already been created from different breeds. The creation of this new breed officially dates back to 1962. Over the years, the characteristics of the different original breeds have become homogenised. Today, Blonde d'Aquitaine is the third most common meat breed in France and is known far beyond France’s borders for its excellent meat yield and tender, low-fat meat.
Sources: Beef Cattle Switzerland, www.cuisinealafrancaise.com, www.boeuf-blond-aquitaine.org
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