Tux-Zillertal
(most common name in English)

(most common name):
• Tux-Zillertaler
local/other name:
• Tirolese
• Tyrolean
• Tirolense (Italy)
(historical breed name):
• Duxer (Germany)

The Tux-Zillertal is the combination of two breeds: the Tux and the (now extinct) Zillertal. Both were small sturdy mountain cattle that developed in the eastern Tyrol (a western Austrian state in the Alps) from a mixture of native breeds.

Strains absorbed into the Tux and Zillertal breeds include:
• Brixental (Brixentaler)
• Durtal (Durtaler) - a dairy type
• Landler (Landler)

The Tux-Zillertal, being excellent climbers, were used as pack animals; today they are mainly used for vegetation management.

Tux-Zillertals also have a history of being used as fighting cattle and were collectively called Tyrolese. Selection for fighting abilities (supposedly so cows could defend their grazing meadows) probably led to neglect of other attributes and they started to decline following the Paris Show of 1856. The better producing Alpine breeds, which were larger and light colored, became the favorite. Tux-Zillertal numbers then diminished almost to the point of extinction.

• 1950 - combined population was 1,336
• 1971 - a Salzburg museum captioned a stuffed Tux/Zillertal as being the ‘last cow’ of the breeds
• mid-1970s - combined population was 30
• 1982 - Tux and Zillertal cattle officially combined to form ‘Tux-Zillertal’
• 1983 - official conservation activities started, mainly using the Eringer

Tux-Zillertal coat colors:
• red-brown (from Zillertal)
• black or reddish-black (from Tux)
• white tail, udder and underbelly
• small white streak (‘feather’) at the base of the tail (occasionally)
• dark skin

This page was last updated on: 2023-09-25

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