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What do cows do in the Sport Conrad catalogue? Admittedly at first glance, nothing. But the second view reveals more. Kiah or Rindviecher – how cows are called in Bavaria – belong to the alpine foothills like the lush green meadows, snow-capped peaks and the white-blue sky. The Murnau-Werdenfelser cattle is at least indispensable for the slopes and pastures around Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Mittenwald. One reason why the breed should not be left out when talking about the beautiful “Werdenfelser Land” and its surroundings. And right there the Sport Conrad catalogue comes into play.
Real natural-born talents
The bavarian Oberland was backdrop of the photo shoot for the current summer catalogue. Among others, the Warbichl Hof in Oberammergau and the ArcheHof Schlickenrieder in Otterfing. Both agricultures, which couldn’t be more idyllic. Geraniums on the balcony, fruit trees, flowering cottage gardens. Wherever you look, lush pastures. And that’s exactly where they live. The Murnau-Werdenfelser cattle, the pride of the two farms. First, they didn’t really pay attention to us when we arrived at ArcheHof Schlickenrieder. At most one time they looked up from the grass. “Hikers. Tourists.” Nothing special. Seen a thousand times. But just some minutes later they where playing with the camera like supermodels. Models every photographer dreams of. Real natural-born talents. Of cause the Murnau-Werdenfelser cow is not just an ordinary cow.
From the typical stain or brown cattle, known from the advertising leaflets, the breed stands out visibly. The Murnau Werdenfelser cattle has no spots, but a reddish-brown coat. Dense and shimmering, in some places curly. Almost a bit exotic. The Murnau-Werdenfelser – also called Oberländer – are based in our region for a long time already. Much longer than the stain cattle. Basically, the breed is actually the only truly native cow species in Bavaria. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the animals worked with the farmers on the fields and slopes in the Oberland. Their meat and milk gave farmers an important additional income. That was long before the Murnau-Werdenfelser were threatened with extinction.
In the mid-1950s, cattles disappeared from the farms. Capitalism demanded high-performance cows. More milk, more meat for more people. Stain and brown cattles stood in the stables, the Murnau-Werdenfelser were less and less. In 2006, the stock shrank to less than 160 purebred animals. Meanwhile, the number has risen again.
Breeders and Farmers stand up for the preservation of native cows. Like the ArcheHof Schlickenrieder in Otterfing. Among other things, they offer guided farm tours for specialists and school classes. Sustainably educational work – directly on-site. In 2007, a support association was even set up, which supports farmers from the region in their welfare-friendly breeding. The farms are in close contact and exchange each other.
Beautiful, robust and frugal
The Murnau-Werdenfelser are not only beautiful to look at, they are also very robust. And frugal. Grass, water and flowering meadows are basically all they need. Of course, at the ArcheHof Schlickenrieder and the Warbichl Hof, they only get the best in the winter: fresh untreated hay, locally grown broken cereals or long-lasting “grascobs” – a high-quality, feed-free food with a high content of raw fibers and minerals. That’s what you taste.
The milk and meat of the Murnau-Werdenfelser cattle are of the highest quality. Some even talk about a delicacy. Decisive is the maturing process. The meat is stored for three to five weeks until the ideal degree of ripeness is reached. The type of slaughter is also important for the taste. The farmer accompanies the animals during transport to the butcher. The paths are short. As stress-free as possible. Almost as it used to be.
The Murnau-Werdenfelser belongs to the bavarian Oberland. With the mountains the meadows and the landscape they are rooted. Beautiful, proud and a bit different. Thus, absolutely sympathetic. We are proud to introduce them to our catalogue.
Want to know more about the Murnau-Werdenfelser cattle? Then just click on the logo:
Photo Header: Anton Brey | Photos Landscape: Manuel Ferrigato