About Istoben Cattle

Istoben are dairy cattle that originated near the village of Istobensk, in the Kirov region of Russia.  

The historical origin of the Istoben breed of cows, goes back to the times of settlement of the Vyatka River. Settlers from northern Russia, who in the 14th century firmly established themselves on the banks of the river, brought cattle of fairly large size to these lands. In the late 19th century these cattle were crossbred with Shvitsk, Kholmogorsk, Yaroslavl, and Ostfries cattle. The result is the modern Istobensk cattle.  

They are black and motley, often with a white stripe along the ridge to the waist. They are not tall, their height at the withers is 124-126 cm. The weight of the adult cow is 430-480 kg, the bull is 750-900 kg, their record is 1050 kg. They calves weight at birth 26-30 kg. Their neck is thin, with many small folds of thin, supple skin. Their chest is not wide (37-40 cm), but deep (64-70 cm).  

Their milk productivity on the average 3000-3700 kg, fat content 3.80-5.10%, protein content in milk 3.3-3.5%.