Bazadaise Cattle Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Bazadaise cattle breed are magnificent looking cattle with a well proportioned muscled physique, long powerful legs and a superior quality of beef.
They were once used as oxen to pull cut wood/trees from the forests around the French town from where they originated.
They are very hardy animals with a good resistance to disease, easy birthing, and high fertility as well as a good carcass yield.

BAZADAISE BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
The Bazadaise breed is a celebrated breed in the town from which they originate in France. They have an excellent quality of beef and are a very useful draft cattle.
Country of Origin:	France
Other Names:	None
Main Purpose:	Meat
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Can be used for	Breed, Meat, Draft
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most Climates
Conservation Status:	Not Listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: Conservation in Europe
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Cattle?	Novice to intermediate Cattle farmer/keeper level
Cattle Associations:	British Bazadaise Cattle Society
Cattle Clubs:	Please refer to the British Bazadaise Cattle Society for more information on the breed
Where to buy them?	Please refer to the British Bazadaise Cattle Society for more information on the breed
Child Friendly?	Livestock should not be left unattended around unsupervised children
General Information:	The Bazadaise cattle originate from a small French town where they hold a festival in the breeds honor every year.
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Bazadaise breed of cattle is large with a well-muscled powerful physique and well-formed large head. Their legs are long and powerful with the insides usually a lighter to white color than the body. They have white eye-rings, lighter color nose, and tail tips. Their skin is black, and they have tight dewlap with a thick neck which is in line with their straight backs.

Size:

Medium to large

CATTLE ⇒	COW	BULL
Breed Color:	Dark to light grey	Dark to light grey
Breed Weight:	700 kgs	1000 kgs
Breed Height:	140 cm	145 cm
Horns:	Waxy base from their heads growing downwards along the side of their heads and then curling. The horns are white with a black tip.	Waxy base from their heads growing downwards along the side of their heads and then curling. The horns are white with a black tip.
Temperament:	Quiet and easy to handle	Quiet and easy to handle. All bulls must be regarded as a potential danger as they can get aggressive from time to time.
Matures at age:	6 to 8 months or 9 + months	6 to 8 months or 9 + months
Puberty Age:	6 to 15 months	9 to 1o months
Breeding Age:	13 to 15 months	1 year
Breeding Traits:	See Cow breeding & Milking Info	Cover 25 to 30 Cows in 1 season

COW BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION
Most Cattle produce milk but not all of them are used in the dairy Cattle capacity for their milk. Cows only calve once a year and should have 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. They make really good mothers, with a high birthing rate with hardly any birthing problems. The calves are strong and ready to suckle at birth. They have a good quality milk but are mainly only raised for their meat production.
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 6 to 24 hours Most ave. 12 to 16 hours Cows usually come on heat every 21 days.
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days to 24 days Heifer – usually ave. 20 days Cows – usually ave. 21 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 279 to 287 days but most gestation is 283 days. Cows that are carrying bull calf’s their gestation period is usually a little longer than cows that are carrying heifer calves.
No. Calves/Litter:	1 calf at a time. Cows rarely have twins or triplets, but it can happen
Lactation Period:	Cows lactation period can last for up to about 10 months (305) days.
Milking From:	1 to 6 weeks after Calving
Drying off Period:	The cow should have a 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. Drying off period for around 60 days before she can calve again.
Milk Quality:	Good
Milk Ideal for:	Calves
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CATTLE MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Bazadaise cattle are well renowned for the excellent marbled meat that is tender, succulent and has an exceptional flavor. Every year there is a festival that celebrates the breed held in Bazas from where they originated. There are not too many left with just over 3400 headcounts. The beef is usually labeled under Label Rouge – “Boeuf de Bazas” and “Boeuf de Chalosse”. They have a very high carcass yield with some bullocks being 63 to 65%.

Meat Production?

Yes, Quality: Excellent

CATTLE ⇒	VEAL	BEEF
Ave. Maturity Age:	6 to 8 months	9 months up to 4 years

CATTLE SKIN PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Most meat Cattle will have a skin by-product, and these are usually used in some form or just as a hide. They are beef cattle with superior meat quality and very good hides. However, there are not too many left in the world today and conservation efforts are underway to restore their population numbers. Thus they are no longer used for leather production.

Skin Production?

No, Quality: Good

Skin is used to Produce:

Calf/cow skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, handbags, belts, furniture, rugs, etc.

CATTLE ⇒	CALF	ADULT
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months for Calf skin	1 to 2 years old for Normal leather

HISTORY

The Bazadaise cattle originate from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France. They are thought to be the result of a cross between cattle breeds of Spanish origin and those of local Aquitaine cattle.

The breed is named after the town of Bazas which is in the Girondes and has very strong ties the breed. The Bazadaise cattle have a festival in their honor here called the Fete des Boeufs Gras. It is to celebrate the Bazadaise and their fine meat which is well renowned for its rich marbling, tenderness, and incredible taste. Although they were originally used as draft cattle to move cut trees from the forests.

Once in great numbers of more than 60000 head of cattle, their numbers were greatly depleted after the Second World War and the mechanization of agriculture. By the 1970s there were no more than 700 cows which was a cause for action to conserve and recover their numbers. By 2013 conservation efforts were showing a positive effect with around 3400 cow spread around 140 farms.

They have been exported to Chile, Spain, United Kingdom, and Australia to be raised as pure-bred cattle and be used in cross-breeding programs.