Pinglu Mountain Yellow Cattle

Pinglu Mountain Yellow Cattle

　　Pinglu Mountain Yellow Cattle gained fame after being included in the *National Breed Register* in 1981, and locals also call them “Mountain Climbers.” This breed of yellow cattle is a unique variety gradually developed through the long-term careful breeding and cultivation by the people of the mountainous regions of Pinglu.

　　　 The main characteristics of Pinglu Mountain Yellow Cattle are: relatively small body size, fine bone structure, sturdy physique, agile movement, soft and fine hair covering the entire body, with coat colors including yellow, jujube red, grayish-white, and black, among which yellow and jujube red are the most common. In terms of body features, compared to the Southern Shanxi Yellow Cattle, they have a shorter and stockier head, large and spirited eyes, a slightly shorter and well-muscled neck, well-developed chest muscles, broad forequarters, a longer and wider back with a flat profile and well-developed muscles, a full belly but not sagging like a grass belly, well-developed hindquarters, a wide and flat rump, well-muscled hip area giving it a round and deep appearance, a wide rear end, with few cattle having sloping or pinched rumps, relatively short but straight, sturdy, and strong limbs, shiny and hard hooves, capable of climbing slopes steadily and swiftly.

　　　 This breed is distributed across various towns and villages in Pinglu, but is most commonly found in towns such as Shengrenjian, Duma, Zhangdian, and Buguan. Due to the naturally crisscrossed gully terrain of the region, these cattle have developed short yet powerful legs, tough and wear-resistant hooves, a modest body size, agility, and suitability for climbing up and down slopes—making them highly suitable for farming in mountainous terraced fields and meeting the needs of local life. The selection criteria used by locals for choosing cattle are: short legs, long body, barrel-shaped head, egg-shaped eyes, umbrella-like shoulders, and tabletop-like back.

　　　 Pinglu Mountain Yellow Cattle have good meat production performance. According to slaughter tests conducted in 1981 on five average-condition adult steers: the average live weight before slaughter was 404 kilograms, the average carcass weight was 216.25 kilograms, the net meat weight was 189.40 kilograms, the net meat yield reached 46.89%, and the carcass meat yield was as high as 87.89%. Moreover, the meat is tender and delicious when cooked. In 1983, a Japanese beef cattle trade delegation visiting China gave high praise during their inspection in Pinglu.