Ennstal Mountain Pied Cattle

Ennstal Mountain Pied Cattle are an almost extinct cattle breed from Austria. The name comes from the Ennstal ("Enns Valley").

The small light Ennstal Mountain Pieds originate from Bavarian Whitehead Pied Cattle. Once they were almost totally foxy red before the white spots in their fur increased. In the end 75 to 80 % of the fur was white with only the loin and the side remaining clouded or with fringed spots. The inner ears are coloured. Horns, claws and mucosas are mostly pigment free. The breed was once popular as a draft and beef animal. In the 18th century the breed was replaced by Murboden Cattle, Pinzgau Cattle, or Carinthian Blondvieh. The animals are fully developed after two years in the alps, so they count as the earliest maturing alpine cattle breed. Although they do not become fat their beef is well marbled.

It was thought that the last two cows had been slaughtered in 1986, but some surviving animals were found. Their conservation is organised by the Union for the Conservation of Endangered Domestic Animal Breeds (VEGH) and the Austrian National Union for Gene Reserves. In the year 2004 there were in Austria 65 animals in 6 farms again.