Perhaps originating in
Roman Italy, Charolais
cattle are first referred to as a
distinct breed around 1,000 A.D. in southern
France. The region in which this
breed was used
changed hands frequently, from the
French to the
Spanish to the
Italians and back again; as a result,
trade barriers prevented the
corruption of the Charolais, and it is still a fairly
pure breed.
The Charolais is large, with rapid growth rates, which ranchers seek. They are also used for cross-breeding, to produce larger cattle with easier calving and a higher carcass weight. They are crossed with many breeds, incuding the Angus, Hereford, and Brahman.
This node is part of Tem42's list of cattle breeds, entitled, simply, cattle.