Armorican cattle are a French breed of cattle. They are a multi-purpose crossbreed developed in Brittany in the late 19th century. They are red pied with short horns.
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This breed derives from a 19th century cross which included Froment du Léon, Pie Rouge de Carhaix (an extinct breed), and Shorthorn cattle.[1] The breed was developed to increase beef production from dairy cattle. In 1966, this breed was itself included in the development of Pie Rouge des Plaines (French Lowland Red Pied) cattle, using blood from Meuse-Rhine-Issel cattle. Armorican cattle is now rare as a pure breed – in 2004, the breed was represented by only 300 animals (118 cows and 12 bulls were registered)[2]
The colour is red-pied, with short horns. The skin is clear. Cows weigh 650 kg, and are about 138 cm tall.
It is a multi-purpose breed. Cows produce 4500 l of milk in a lactation of about 305 days. The young grow quickly, and mature animals fatten well. This breed is known for its bad character structure .