In Auvergne, the Ferrandaise cow is making a comeback

It is a land with a unique appearance, made up of old volcanoes, basalt soils and crystalline springs. There, in the Puys chain and not far from Mont-Dore, near the Livradois and Forez mountains, a unique breed of cattle, the Ferrandaise, has survived against all odds.

However, in the 1980s, there were only two hundred cows left. That’s a loss of 99.8% of its population since the interwar period! It must be said that post-war agricultural development led to a reduction in the number of cattle breeds, to make the task easier and increase productivity. The Ferrandais bulls thus found themselves excluded from artificial insemination programs, thus announcing the slow decline of the breed.

But its originality has now become its opportunity: far from excessively homogenized breeds, this rustic cow has retained its beautiful diversity. This is evidenced by its red or black coat, powdered (white with colored dots), barred (large irregular spots) or bregnie (white back, speckled sides). In Limagne – the great Auvergne plain – cattle once participated in the work of the fields.

Today, the species produces meat and milk. That is nearly 4,000 liters of milk per year for a single animal, intended for the production of Auvergne cheeses, with its cousin, Salers. Raised on pasture to be fed on grass and hay, the ferrandaise also contributes to maintaining the rich flora and fauna of the Auvergne meadows.