Anatolian Black
In its own language: Yerli Kara
Turkey's smallest native breed, a short-horned black cow used for milk, meat and draught
A small, taurine Turkish breed from Anatolia, normally deep black, short-horned and humpless in both sexes. Kept mainly in central Turkey for milk, beef and draught work on small farms, it is now endangered.
- Turkey's smallest native cattle breed
- Kept for milk, beef and draught work on small farms
- Cows about 100-110 cm at the shoulder and 200-300 kg; bulls 300-400 kg
- Milk yield 1000-1100 kg per lactation, with 4 to 5 per cent fat
- Endangered; a conservation herd is kept at Lalahan in Ankara
What do Anatolian Black cattle look like?
The Anatolian Black is a taurine breed, short-horned and without a hump. Body form differs between animals; some have a beef build, others a dairy one. All are small, with a long trunk, slim bones and short legs ending in hard hooves. The ribs are short, so the chest is only moderately deep. Shoulders are narrow and sloped; the hindquarters are wider and sit higher than the front, and the rump slopes. The back is straight. The neck is average in length, with a small dewlap, the fold of skin under the throat. A cow stands 100 to 110 cm at the shoulder, is 110 to 120 cm long and weighs 200 to 300 kg. Bulls weigh 300 to 400 kg. Both sexes carry horns. The coat is usually black and the hide thick and tough. Bulls have large heads with a convex line; cows' faces are narrower.
Where does the Anatolian Black come from?
The breed is Turkish, and its name comes from Anatolia, the peninsula where it developed. Of all the native cattle of Turkey it is the smallest. Genetically it stands close to the East Anatolian Red and the South Anatolian Red, two other Turkish breeds. The three are gathered under the name Anatolian Native cattle. Body shape and home district, rather than genes, are what tell them apart. Most Anatolian Black cattle are reared in the central part of the country. The number of pure-bred animals has fallen, and the breed is now seen as being in danger of dying out.
What the Anatolian Black is known for
The Anatolian Black is hardy. It lives on poor grazing and tolerates rough handling, needing neither rich feed nor costly care, and it resists disease and parasites well. Those strengths put it high on the list of breeds worth conserving. They also explain its modest output: the animal puts little into growth or into milk. Cows are attentive to their calves. Heifers are usually mated for the first time at 24 to 28 months. Female calves weigh 17 to 19 kg at birth, males 18 to 20 kg.
How the Anatolian Black is bred and kept
Keeping is on a small scale, on mixed farms where the cattle graze whatever the land offers. Pure-bred numbers have shrunk for several reasons. Farmers have used European bulls and semen in the hope of heavier yields, and some crossing happens without anyone intending it. Weak management and the drift of young people from villages into cities have added to the problem. Studies have explored ways of raising output so that the breed can pay its way. A conservation herd is held at the Central Livestock Research Institute in Lalahan, in Ankara.
Anatolian Black, drawn
What the Anatolian Black is kept for
The Anatolian Black earns its place on small farms three ways: as a milker, a meat animal and a worker. A cow gives 1000 to 1100 kg of milk in a lactation that runs 240 to 260 days, with 4 to 5 per cent butterfat. The breed is one of Turkey's main sources of beef, and in feedlots young stock can gain 700 to 900 g a day. Oxen are still used for draught on smallholdings. Output per animal is lower than that of European breeds, which is why improvement work has been tried.
The land and climate of the Anatolian Black
The breed belongs to central Turkey, where feed can be thin and the weather is not always kind. Anatolian Black cattle manage on meagre grazing and can be kept outdoors with simple shelter, still staying in condition. A thick, tough hide and the habit of doing well on poor rations carry them through hard seasons. Because they resist parasites and disease, they need little veterinary attention compared with more productive stock. That low demand is part of why the breed has been thought worth saving.
Keeping Anatolian Black cattle
The breed is undemanding. Cows can graze poor pasture and need only simple shelter, which suits smallholdings. Because they resist parasites and illness, they need less medicine than high-yielding European breeds. Cows stay attentive to their calves, and they are used to plain rations and rough weather.
Numbers, conservation and the herd book
The breed is classed as endangered and is at risk of disappearing. The count of animals of pure descent has fallen over the years. Crossing with European stock, accidental matings, weak management and the movement of people from villages to cities all play a part. To keep the breed alive, studies have looked at raising its productivity so that farmers can afford to keep it. A conservation herd is kept at the Central Livestock Research Institute in Lalahan, in the Mamak district of Ankara.
From the Anatolian Black
Questions people ask about Anatolian Black
Where does the Anatolian Black come from?
It comes from Anatolia, in Turkey, and most herds are raised in the central part of the country. It is one of three Turkish natives grouped as Anatolian Native cattle, along with the East Anatolian Red and the South Anatolian Red.
What is the breed kept for?
It is a triple-purpose breed. Cows are milked and give 1000 to 1100 kg in a lactation, young stock are fattened for beef, and oxen do draught work on small farms. Yields are lower than those of European breeds.
What does an Anatolian Black look like?
It is small and black with short horns in both sexes and no hump. The trunk is long, the bones slim, the legs short. A cow stands about 100 to 110 cm at the shoulder and weighs 200 to 300 kg; bulls weigh 300 to 400 kg.
Is the breed rare?
Yes. It is classed as endangered and the number of genetically pure animals has dropped, mainly through crossing with European breeds and the movement of people from the countryside into cities. A conservation herd is kept at Lalahan in Ankara.
Good reading and sources
- Anatolian Black on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Anatolian Black", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryCow rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. Sizes, colours and customs differ from one herd, valley or breeder to the next. Folk beliefs are described as tradition, never as advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-16.
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