Burlina
Italian breeds of cattle

Origin and diffusion

The Burlina comes from the Venetian Prealpi at the sides of Mount Grappa.
It seems it dates back to the Roman times when the Cimbri Migrations led some northern European pied cattle breeds to these regions. The Cimbri belonged to populations living in the Jutland peninsula (Denmark).
As a pure breed there still exist very few examples in the provinces of Treviso, Vicenza and Verona nowadays, while in 1930 the stock was of about 15000 heads. The Burlina breed was officially accepted at the first Register office in 1980.
Since 1985 the Registry Office of autochthonous cattle breeds and ethnic groups of limited diffusion has been founded, in order to protect those Italian cattle breeds at risk of extinction and to safeguard this genetic heritage. Among them there are the following breeds: Agerolese, Bianca Val Padana (Modenese), Burlina, Cabannina, Calvana, Cinisara, Garfagnina, Modicana, Mucca Pisana, Pezzata Rossa d’Oropa, Pinzgau, Pontremolese, Pustertaler, Reggiana, Sarda, Sardo-Modicana, Varzese.

Morphological characteristics

A black-pied coat prevailing over the white. White limbs, black head with a star in the forehead. White tail tuft; grey and black wide muzzle. Moderate size and height.

Economic characteristics

Both meat and dairy production breed, mainly dairy though. Very rustic, able to exploit poor mountainous pastures.

Burlina - Cow

Burlina - Bull