Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Expand French Template:Infobox cattle breed The Charolais ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}) or Charolaise ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}) is a French breed of taurine beef cattle. It originates in, and is named for, the Charolais area surrounding Charolles,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in the Saône-et-Loire department, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of eastern France.
Charolais are raised for meat, which is relatively lower in fat. The breed is also selected for hardiness and docility. They may be crossed with other breeds for desired characteristics. Common crossbreeds include Angus and Hereford cattle.
HistoryEdit
The Charolais is the second-most numerous cattle breed in France after the Holstein Friesian and is the most common beef breed in that country, ahead of the Limousin. At the end of 2014, France had 4.22 million head of Charolais, including 1.56 million cows, down 0.6% from a year earlier.Template:R
The Charolais is a world breed: it is reported to DAD-IS by 68 countries, of which 37 report population data. The world population is estimated at 730,000. The largest populations are reported from the Czech Republic and Mexico.Template:R
The breed was introduced to the southern United States from Mexico in 1934.Template:R
As the cradle of the Charolais cattle,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> the Charolais-Brionnais Country is applicant for the UNESCO's label as a World Heritage Site to preserve, consolidate and transmit this resource.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
CharacteristicsEdit
It is among the heaviest of cattle breeds: bulls weigh from Template:Convert, and cows from Template:Convert. The coat ranges from white to cream-colored; the nose is uniformly pink.Template:R
The Charbray, a cross-breed with Brahman cattle, is recognized as a breed in some countries.Template:R The Brazilian Chicana is a composite breed with 5/8 Charolais and 3/8 Indu-Brasil.Template:R Other derived breeds include Charford and Char-Swiss in the United States.Template:R
- Taureau charolais - Salon de l'Agriculture de Paris 2010.jpg
Bull at the Salon international de l'agriculture in 2011
- Taureau Charolais (Château-Chinon, Morvan).jpg
Bull in the Morvan
- Charolais cattle, Sierra Nevada, Venezuela.jpg
Feral bull in Sierra Nevada de Mérida, Venezuela
- Bourgogne-charolais-cattle.jpg
Cows at pasture in Burgundy
- Embryo transfered calves (cropped).JPG
Embryo-transferred calves with their Aberdeen Angus and Hereford recipient dams
- Charolais cattle in a field in Magog, Quebec.jpg
Cow in a field in Quebec