Heck cattle
(transboundary/brand name)

(most common name):
• Heck (Netherlands, UK)
• Aurochs-reconstitué (France)
local/other name (English):
• Heck Aurochs
• Munich-Berlin cattle
• New Aurochs
• Reconstituted Aurochs
local/other name (French):
• Aurochs de Heck
• Aurochs reconsti
• Néo-aurochs

Heck cattle were originally developed in Germany by the Heck brothers (Heinz in Munich, Lutz in Berlin) in the early 1900s (for details, see: Munich-Berlin cattle).

Heck cattle are, on average, a foot shorter in height than the original aurochs which had bulls averaging 5 feet 6 inches (170 cm) at the withers (van Vuure, 2005). The tallest aurochs reached an additional foot (200 cm) at the withers (Felius, 1995).

Heck cattle have been bred in several European countries. Recorded DAD-IS population counts include:
• France (2021) - population 470
• Latvia (2013) - population 184
• Netherlands (2011) - population 360–500
• United Kingdom (2012) - population 11

In 2016, a combined European population of 2,000 Heck cattle was thought to exist on various nature reserves and through private ownership.

In the Netherlands, Heck cattle are important for grazing and vegetation management. In Germany, they are kept on nature reserves.

NOTE: As of 2018, Heck cattle are no longer listed by Germany. As of 2024, Heck cattle are no longer listed by Latvia.

This page was last updated on: 2024-06-02

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