Mountain Yellow Cattle of Southern Sichuan

Mountain Yellow Cattle of Southern Sichuan

　　① Distribution: The Mountain Yellow Cattle of Southern Sichuan are bred in the mountainous regions along the southern edge of the Sichuan Basin, with main production areas including Yingjing, Gulin, Xuyong, and Qianjiang counties. They are distributed across counties stretching from southwestern to southeastern Sichuan, such as Tianquan, Lushan, Baoxing, Ya’an, Gongxian, Xingwen, Junlian, Pingshan, Youyang, Pengshui, and Xiushan. According to statistics from 1981, the population reached 331,830 head.

　　② Physical Characteristics: The Mountain Yellow Cattle of Southern Sichuan are small in size with a compact and sturdy build. Their heads are slightly long, with diverse horn shapes—most being short, smooth, and outward-curving yam-shaped horns. The neck is of moderate length with well-developed dewlaps; the forequarters are broad (chest girth index: bulls 135.6, cows 134.6), with good chest depth and relatively high withers. The midsection is moderately developed, with a relatively wide back and loin. The hindquarters are longer but appear narrower (rump width index: bulls 37.3, cows 37.3). The limbs are long, with prominent tendons, correct stance, agile movement, small yet solid hooves, well-shaped hooves, and tight hoof forks. The hide is thin and elastic. The coat color is mostly yellow. Adult bulls weigh 323.2±8.59 kg, cows 260.0±2.40 kg, and castrated bulls 321.9±6.59 kg.

　　③ Production Performance:

　　Work Performance: The Mountain Yellow Cattle of Southern Sichuan are gentle in temperament, easy to handle, agile in movement, and strong in work capacity. They typically begin work at the age of 3–4 years, work 80–120 days per year, and are used for about 6 hours per day, which can extend up to 10 hours during busy farming seasons. In terms of plowing ability, tests in Yingjing and Gulin show that a single ox with an iron-plow wooden plow can till 1.5–2.5 mu of hardpan fields in 6 hours, with body temperature, respiration, and pulse returning to normal within 60–90 minutes after work. Tests in Yingjing indicate that the average weight of bulls is 380 kg, with an average maximum pulling force of 346.6 kg, accounting for 91.2% of their body weight; adult cows average 299 kg in weight, with an average maximum pulling force of 226.0 kg, or 75.5% of their body weight; adult castrated bulls average 379 kg in weight, with an average maximum pulling force of 301.0 kg, or 79.3% of their body weight.

　　Tests in Yingjing showed that two adult castrated bulls weighing 360 kg and 315 kg respectively, on a sunny day with temperatures at 30°C, could each pull a rubber-tired cart loaded with 710.5 kg over an asphalt road, covering 8 km in 2 hours and 5 minutes with good performance. When the load was increased to 1,508.5 kg, they could still move normally. In Gulin, a 312 kg adult castrated bull on a sunny day with temperatures at 30°C could pull a rubber-tired cart loaded with 830 kg over a mountainous gravel road, traveling 30 km in 6 hours, averaging 5 km per hour, demonstrating the strong pulling power of the Mountain Yellow Cattle of Southern Sichuan.