Tyrolean grey
The Tyrol Grey or Tyrolean Grey (German: Tiroler Grauvieh, Italian: Grigio Alpina) is a typical alpine cattle breed from Tyrol in Austria and South Tyrol in Italy. It is a dual purpose breed with a very good milk and beef performance. The females grow up to their full size within three years and reach a weight of 550 – 600 kg. They have a correct fundament and hard claws. The Tyrol Greys have a good forage instinct and feed conversion. They are also robust, longliving, and very fertile. The milk has an excellent quality and is adequate either for the direct consumption or for the processing to high-quality products (cheese, butter, yogurt). Among the mountain cattle breeds in Italy the Tyrol Grey has the best milk amount/milk quality (fat, protein) ratio and delivers a higher amount of contents for the processing to quality products. The above-average per cow was 2002 in the South Tyrol about 4,836 kg milk per annum, 3.78% milk fat content, and 3.38% protein (8,491 control cows). When you evaluate the performance you have to allow for the middle body weight and the tough feeding and husbandry conditions in mountain regions. The Tyrolean Grey cattle is a dual purpose breed for milk and beef and possesses an excellent mast ability and beef quality. Breeding purpose is the advancement of milk and beef quantity and quality. Furthermore it is the purpose to conserve the typical functional attributes of the breed: middle body height, robust constitution, correct fundament, hard claws, hardiness, mountain pasture competence, good fertility, easy calving, udder quality and good milkability.
| Life Span | 18-22 years |
| Weight | 450-900 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Tyrolean grey
Finding a responsible Tyrolean grey breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells cattles commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Tyrolean grey. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Tyrolean greys appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
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