Parthenais Genetics

The Parthenais has records as far back as the beginning of the century making it one of the oldest French breeds. It produces good quality milk ideal for making butter and were also used as draught cattle.

The breed society established a breed improvement program in 1970 focusing on producing high-quality beef. Nowadays, due to the beefing qualities and tenderness, fine bone structure and carcass yield, net yield, herds are managed in the classic suckler system.

They are a hardy breed offering calving ease and hardy calves, resulting in high productivity from the number of calves and weight. The maternal qualities and ample milk yields ensure the calves flourish.

Parthenais Characteristics

The breed has a lighter face and muzzle with a reddish buckskin to a dark brown in colour with dark brown to black around the eyes, jaw, neck and ears. They also have black hooves, noses and tails.

Full blood Parthenais are double-muscled like the Belgian Blue but smaller, they also benefit from a high muscle to bone ratio. The breed is highly productive with high fertility and produces lean, high-quality meat. They are hardy and adaptable to all kinds of terrains and climates as well as high disease resistance.

Breed Statistics

• High quality, lean beef
• Double-muscled breed
• Typically easier calving
• Adaptable and hardy
• High fertility and productivity
• Hardy black feet
• Excellent terminal sire in commercial suckler and dairy herds
• Parthenais sired females sought as suckler replacements
• High killing out percentage and meat to bone ratio
• High carcass value

Fertility, regularity and ease of calving, and hardiness of calves are all excellent, with the result that productivity is very high, both numerically and by weight, furthermore the maternal qualities and milk yields of Parthenaise cows ensure that their calves grow well. Calving surveys reveal that 94% of fullbloods are unassisted, another survey found 28% require slight assistance and 66% require no assistance at all.

The Parthenais thrives on all types of terrain and can cope with differing climatic conditions and has very good disease resistance. They have great mobility and thriftiness.

Statistics

Attractive double muscled cattle

Generally easier calving

Fertile, hard working bulls

Suits most systems

Hard black feet

Excellent terminal sire in commercial suckler and dairy herds

Parthenais sired females sought for suckler replacements

High killing out % and meat to bone ratio

Superb eating quality beef

Lower cholesterol than chicken

Steaks cut from forequarters

Top carcass value

Distribution

Photo courtesy of The British Parthenais Cattle Society, www.parthenais.co.uk

From its ancient origins in France the Parthenais is now produced in the UK, Ireland, Canada and America.