Istoben
A dairy breed of Russia's Kirov region, recognised in 1943
Istoben was a dairy breed of cattle from Russia's Kirov region, named for the place where a large creamery was built. Mature cows averaged 3,107 kg of milk over a year in a 1981 evaluation, with 3.83 per cent fat, and the breed had been recognised in 1943.
- A dairy breed of Russia, from the Kirov region
- Recognised as a breed in 1943
- Named for Istoben, a place in the Kirov region with a large creamery
- 1981 evaluation: mature cows averaged 3,107 kg of milk a year
- Milk fat recorded at 3.83 per cent in 1981
What do Istoben cattle look like?
Istoben was a dairy breed of cattle from Russia. It takes its name from Istoben, a place in the Kirov region where a creamery was set up. The breed was recognised in 1943. A 1981 evaluation of mature cows put the yearly milk at 3,107 kilograms on average, and the fat content at 3.83 per cent. Mature cows were the ones measured. Yield and butterfat were the two measures used to judge the animals, and they are the figures that stay with the breed's name.
Where does the Istoben come from?
The breed belongs to Russia, and its home country is the Kirov region. The name was taken from Istoben, the site of a large creamery. The herd and the dairy works stood in the same district. Recognition as a breed came in 1943. State evaluations followed, and the 1981 round recorded mature cows at 3,107 kilograms of milk a year on average, with 3.83 per cent fat. Those two numbers, yield and butterfat, are the substance of its recorded history.
What the Istoben is known for
The breed is known for its milk. In the 1981 evaluation mature cows averaged 3,107 kilograms a year, and the milk tested 3.83 per cent fat. Volume and butterfat were the two figures by which the animals were judged, and they are the ones attached to the breed. Cows were milked through a full lactation, that is, the months between one calving and the next, and the yearly totals were worked out from those records.
How the Istoben is bred and kept
The breed was recognised in 1943, and with recognition came testing. In the 1981 evaluation, mature cows milked across a year gave 3,107 kilograms on average, with a fat reading of 3.83 per cent. Work of that kind records yield and butterfat herd by herd and cow by cow. The creamery at Istoben gave the breed its name, and the settlement gave the creamery its place. The figures were taken down from the milking herd.
Istoben, drawn
What the Istoben is kept for
Milk was the purpose here. Cows were milked and the creamery at Istoben took what they gave; a creamery is the works where milk is turned into cream, butter and cheese. In the 1981 evaluation a mature cow produced 3,107 kilograms over a year on average, and the fat content was 3.83 per cent. Yield and butterfat were recorded together, as they usually are for dairy stock. The yearly figures were the measure of how well the herd did that job.
Numbers, conservation and the herd book
Istoben was recognised as a breed in 1943. The numbers that go with it come from the 1981 evaluation, when mature cows averaged 3,107 kilograms of milk in a year and the butterfat reading was 3.83 per cent. So the breed's record consists of a year of recognition, a yearly yield per cow and a fat percentage, all from one round of state testing.
Questions people ask about Istoben
Where does the Istoben breed come from?
From Russia. The breed belongs to the Kirov region, and its name is that of Istoben, a place in the region with a large creamery. It was recognised as a breed in 1943.
What is the Istoben breed kept for?
Milk. It was a dairy breed, and the creamery took the supply. In the 1981 evaluation a mature cow averaged 3,107 kilograms a year, with milk at 3.83 per cent fat.
How much milk do the cows give?
The 1981 evaluation of mature cows gives the answer: 3,107 kilograms in a year on average, with a fat content of 3.83 per cent. Those two readings come from the same round of testing.
When was the breed recognised?
In 1943. Recognition came first, and testing followed; the 1981 evaluation of mature cows is the round whose milk yield and butterfat figures are recorded.
Good reading and sources
- Istoben cattle on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Istoben cattle", 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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