Size
2,090 lb.
Color
Gray-white.
Physical appearance
Male full-blood Piedmontese are gray-white in color with numerous black hairs on their heads, particularly in the areas around their eyes, neck, shoulders, and distal parts of their legs. On the lateral faces of the trunk or hind legs, they occasionally feature dark stains or patches.
Characteristics and Genetics
A breed of domestic beef cattle known as North American Piedmontese cattle was developed from an imported herd of high-quality Italian purebred Piedmontese cattle. In 1979, the foundation line of breeding stock was imported into Canada, and in the early 1980s, it was transported into the United States. A special, naturally occurring gene known as the myostatin allele mutation, or dormant myostatin gene, distinguishes Piedmontese cattle from other breeds. While an inactive gene has the opposite effect, myostatin prevents the growth of muscles. The North American Piedmontese Association (NAPA) claims that they are the first breed registry to base its standards for animal registration on the presence of a certain gene that is easily confirmed by DNA testing.
Uses
In the United States, Piemontese cattle are generally employed as milk and beef cattle that can also be used for other purposes. Three purposes—draught, beef, and milk production—were historically served by Piemontese production. Piemontese cattle were bred to be dual-use for meat and milk rather for draught when it was revealed that they possess a gene mutation that results in hypertrophic muscle growth, sometimes known as double muscling.
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