Red Gorbatov
In its own language: Красная горбатовская
A red dairy breed from Gorbatov in central Russia, with white horns tipped black
The Red Gorbatov is a dairy breed of central Russia, formed in Nizhegorod province during the 19th century by crossing Tyrolean stock with the local Great Russian cattle. The animals are red in a range of shades, sometimes with white on the udder, and they are kept for their milk.
- Formed in Nizhegorod province in the 19th century from Tyrolean and local Great Russian stock
- Herd book opened in 1921
- Cows average 122 cm and 470 kg; bulls about 133 cm and 830 kg
- Breeding females fell from about 74,000 in 1980 to 27,400 in 1990
- Red coat in several shades, with white sometimes on the udder
What do Red Gorbatov cattle look like?
The Red Gorbatov is a dairy animal of medium size. Its coat is red, and the shade varies from beast to beast; a few carry white under the body, on the udder. The horns are white with dark points, and the muzzle is pink. A cow measures about 122 cm at the withers, the ridge between the shoulders, and weighs around 470 kg. A bull stands roughly 133 cm and weighs about 830 kg, so the two sexes differ plainly in height and even more in weight.
Where does the Red Gorbatov come from?
The breed took shape in Nizhegorod province during the 19th century. Tyrolean cattle were crossed with the local stock, known as Priokski or Great Russian. A herd book was set up in 1921. Work on blood groups later suggested a kinship with the Danish Red and the Angeln. From Nizhegorod the animals moved into the floodplain of the Oka, and herds were kept in the Chuvash ASSR and the Vladimir and Ivanov regions.
What the Red Gorbatov is known for
Hardiness against disease is the trait most often attached to the Red Gorbatov. It is credited with resistance to leucosis, tuberculosis and brucellosis, three infections that cause trouble in cattle. The breed is a dairy type of medium frame, and it makes its living on the meadow grass of the Oka floodplain, where many of its herds are found.
How the Red Gorbatov is bred and kept
A herd book has been kept since 1921, and it decides which animals carry the breed's name. The Red Gorbatov started as a cross: Tyrolean cattle from the Tyrol were mated with the Great Russian, or Priokski, cattle already in the Nizhegorod country, and the offspring were then bred on as a line in their own right. Blood typing has been used to trace the breed's family links, which point towards the Danish Red and the Angeln.
Red Gorbatov, drawn
What the Red Gorbatov is kept for
Milk is the reason the Red Gorbatov is kept. It belongs to the dairy class rather than the beef or draught classes, and its medium build suits the milking shed. Cows weigh about 470 kg and stand around 122 cm; bulls reach about 133 cm and 830 kg. The breed is reared for milk in the farms of Nizhegorod province and the Oka valley.
The land and climate of the Red Gorbatov
The breed's home ground is Nizhegorod province, in the centre of Russia. From there it spread into the floodplain of the Oka, a stretch that takes in the Chuvash ASSR and the Vladimir and Ivanov regions. Flat meadows beside a big river are the grazing it is linked with. It is a dairy animal of medium size and lives on that lowland pasture.
Numbers, conservation and the herd book
The breed is far less numerous than it once was. About 74,000 breeding females were estimated in 1980; by 1990 the count had come down to 27,400. A herd book has existed since 1921. Its range lies in Nizhegorod province and along the Oka river, in the Chuvash ASSR and the Vladimir and Ivanov regions. That drop over a single decade is the clearest sign of the breed's position.
Questions people ask about Red Gorbatov
Where does the Red Gorbatov come from?
From Nizhegorod province in Russia, and it takes its name from the town of Gorbatov. It was formed in the 19th century by crossing cattle from the Tyrol with the local Great Russian, or Priokski, stock.
What is the Red Gorbatov kept for?
Milk. It is a dairy breed, with cows of medium size at about 122 cm and 470 kg. Bulls are taller and much heavier, around 133 cm and 830 kg.
What do the animals look like?
Red, in a range of shades, and some also show white on the udder. The horns are white with black tips and the muzzle is pink.
Is it a hardy breed?
It is credited with resistance to leucosis, tuberculosis and brucellosis, three infectious diseases of cattle. That reputation for hardiness is the trait most often attached to the breed.
How many Red Gorbatov cattle are there?
About 74,000 breeding females were estimated in 1980. By 1990 the figure had come down to 27,400, so the breed had become much less numerous within a decade.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Red Gorbatov 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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