Moroccan Brown Atlas
(most common name in English)

most common name:
• Brune de l’Atlas (French)
(local/other name):
• Aran
• Beldi
• Charb
• Donkhala
• Maghreb
• Meknès

The Moroccan Brown Atlas, an Iberian type, is the largest variety of the Brown Atlas. Originating in the Atlas Mountains, their habitat spreads from the west coast of Morocco to the Oulmes region and into northwestern Algeria (where they are called Chaouia).

Past local varieties of the Moroccan Brown Atlas included:
• Zemour
• Beni-Ashene
• Branes
• Demnat
• Fez-Meknès

The Moroccan Brown Atlas does well in an arid climate, is hardy and dual-purpose with a tendency towards milk production. Due to upgrading — starting at the end of the 19th century with Dutch Friesian, Montbéliard and Tarentaise imports, and continuing with the Holstein — the breed has been greatly diluted. The Santa Gertrudis has also been introduced to help develop beef cattle.

In general, Moroccan Brown Atlas reproduction is quite poor but also highly variable depending on the conditions under which they are kept.

This page was last updated on: 2023-05-19

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