Pinzgauer
(most common name)

(transboundary/brand name):
• Pinzgau (Austria, Germany)
• Pinzgauer (Italy)
local/other (Italian):
• Pinzgau
• Razza Pinzgau

The Pinzgauer originally developed around 1820 as a composite of local breeds and the Tux in what is now the Austrian state of Salzburg.

The Pinzgauer began as a working breed, but is now a dual-purpose dairy/beef breed. In Austria, they are now mainly found in:
• Salzburg
• Styria
• Tyrol
• Upper Austria

To improve the milk performance, the Pinzgauer was crossed with Red Holstein-Friesians in the late 1960s. Today, Pinzgauers with lower than 6.25% of genes from other breeds (usually Red Holstein) are known as Original Pinzgauer.

In Germany, the Pinzgauer Fleischnutzung (Beef Pinzgauer) is the original type that is completely free of introgression.

In 2016, it was estimated that there were approximately 1.3 million Pinzgauer in 25 countries around the world.

The distinctive Pinzgauer coat consists of:
• red-brown color
• a white stripe on the back
• underside tail and udder (always white)
• head and feet (always red)
• white rings (fatschen) around the tops of the legs

The Mölltal type (found in the area south of Innsbruck and down towards Trento, in Italy) has a lighter coat color; the Salzburg type has a darker coat color with a broader white stripe on the back.

As of 2021, the following total population counts are listed in DAD-IS:
• 2017 - 37,790 (Austria)
• 2019 - 1,751 (Germany)
• 2019 - 1,456 (Italy)

(German) fatschen = bandage

This page was last updated on: 2023-08-13

You can also go to:

My Daily Cow® Austria and Germany and Italy and read about other Austrian, German, and Italian cattle breeds.

The Cow Wall® A-Z Cattle Breed Picture Reference to see other breeds of cattle in the world.