Grey cattle: A Hungarian national treasure
Hungarian grey cattle at the Hortobágy National Park in Eastern Hungary. These animals once grazed the great plains of Hungary over 1000 years ago.
The Hungarian grey cattle also known as Magyar szürkemarha are an ancient breed of cows from Hungary. These long horned animals once grazed the great plains of Hungary over 1000 years ago.
Used mainly for draft purposes, they were positioned in teams of four or more to pull merchant wagons across the plains, sometimes in long caravans.
In the medieval ages, the breed provided a significant source of income for Hungary. Tens of thousands of animals were herded and sold in markets across Europe.
During the communist regime, the Hungarian grey cattle almost became extinct. By the 1970′s there was less than 300 cows left, however, numbers have since increased and the breed is no longer considered endangered.
Although, Hungarian grey cattle are not used as much in today’s society, they are an important part of Hungarian culture and heritage. Many are kept in protected areas such as the Hortobágy National Park in Eastern Hungary.
Much of the country’s success is in part due to the prevalence of gray cattle keeping throughout history.
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Category: Customs & Traditions
