Wenshan Yellow Cattle

Wenshan Yellow Cattle

　　The main production area of Wenshan Yellow Cattle is in Guangnan and Funing counties in Yunnan Province. The production region is located in the southern part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and its periphery, generally at an altitude of 800 to 1,250 meters. The area features undulating mountains, with mountain ranges stretching from northwest to southeast. The main rivers are the Nanpan and Beipan, which flow through limestone peak clusters, often seeping or sinking underground to become underground streams, resulting in a complex terrain of crisscrossing valleys, deep valleys, and layered peaks. The average annual temperature is mostly between 15–19°C, with annual precipitation of 1,100–1,500 mm and a frost-free period of 260–340 days. The soil is mainly laterite and yellow soil. The grasslands primarily consist of low–mid mountain, mid mountain grassland, shrubland, and sparse forest grassland, with a wide variety of forage species dominated by grasses from the Poaceae family, which grow abundantly but tend to age quickly.

　　Geographical Distribution

　　　　Wenshan Yellow Cattle are mainly distributed in eight counties including Guangnan, Funing, Yanshan, and Qiubei.

　　Breed Characteristics and Performance

　　Breed Features

　　　　Wenshan Yellow Cattle have a flat or slightly concave forehead, with diverse horn shapes including upward, sideways, and forward-facing horns, generally short in length. Bulls have prominent shoulder humps, which are about 8–15 cm above the backline, while cows usually have humps only about 2–3 cm above the backline. The dewlap is long, extending from the lower jaw to the front chest, with widths reaching up to 15 cm. The chest is relatively deep but somewhat narrow, and the rump is sloped. The tail root is high, the tail is long and thin, and the tail brush extends past the hock. The forelimbs are straight, and the hind limbs often have hocks that turn inward. The joints and tendons of all four limbs are clearly defined, and the hooves are dense and sturdy. The udders are small, the teats are short and thin, the skin is thin yet dense, the hair is soft, predominantly yellow, followed by brown and black, with very few being spotted. Most nose mirrors are black, with a few being flesh-colored. Overall, the body type can be seen as having two types: one more delicate and the other more robust.

　　Breed Performance

　　　　Adult Wenshan Yellow bulls have an average height, body length, chest girth, cannon bone circumference, and weight of 117.3±6.3 cm, 124.9±8.2 cm, 161.5±8.9 cm, 15.0±1.5 cm, and 239.8 kg, respectively, while adult cows measure 109.1±4.7 cm, 114.5±5.6 cm, 147.7±7.2 cm, 15.1±1.1 cm, and 229.6±26.4 kg, respectively. Wenshan Yellow Cattle possess good pulling power and endurance, capable of both wetland and dryland work, especially suited for plowing and labor on steep terraced fields. Guanling Yellow Cattle exhibit the physical characteristics of mountain cattle, along with strong working and meat performance, excelling in climbing high mountains and steep slopes, while also demonstrating good adaptability to complex climatic conditions. They are numerous, widely distributed, and have a significant influence. However, due to variations in natural conditions across production areas and differing levels of feeding management, the quality of cattle herds remains somewhat inconsistent, with varying degrees of differences both among groups and individuals.