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TheTauros Programme, formerly known asTaurOs Project, is a cooperation between the Dutch foundationStichting Taurus and universities such as theWageningen University and Research Centre[citation needed]. It is an international effort to breed a type of cattle that resembles the extinctaurochs, the wild ancestor of domestic cattle.
The project largely uses hardy cattle breeds with superficial resemblance to the extinct aurochs.[citation needed] Bycrossbreeding andselective breeding it tries to establish similarity to the aurochs. The long-term goal is to release these Tauros cattle intorewilding areas.The project was founded in 2008, and the actual breeding program started the following year.[1]
In line with thewood-pasture hypothesis, herbivorousmegafauna are considered important tools ofnature conservation in maintaining the biodiversity of open or park-like landscapes without human interference. Therefore, it is planned to reintroduce large game in several reserves to recreate the natural dynamics of the European ecosystems. The aurochs was one of the most important Europeanungulates but was hunted to extinction over most of Europe in the Middle Ages. Despite attempts at conservation, the last known pure-bred aurochs died inJaktorów Forest, Poland in 1627.[2] Thus, so-calledrewilding has to work with itsdomesticated descendants, of which several breeds are hardy and robust enough to fill this gap. In many grazing projects, especially inGermany,Heck cattle are used, together withGalloways andHighland cattle. Heck cattle originated in the 1920s as an attempt byLutz andHeinz Heck to breed an aurochs look-alike from several cattle breeds. Heck cattle turned out to be a hardy breed, but are found to be considerably different from the aurochs in several aspects.[3]
The Tauros Programme is one of severalbreeding back attempts. This is based on the idea that original features of the aurochs are still present in some less-derived cattle breeds and can be reunited by crossbreeding and selective breeding. Stichting Taurus has been running grazing projects with hardy cattle and horses for years and purchased cattle breeds they consider to be useful for the project from southern Europe.[4][1]
The tauros programme uses very hardy cattle breeds, which should preferably resemble the aurochs to a useful extent. Crossbreeding and selective breeding with such breeds should create new lineages which are hoped to come close to the aurochs as much as possible and are fit for being released in European wild reserves.[citation needed] Not only the phenotype and robustness are in the focus of breeding, but also genetic information of the aurochs which might be preserved in these breeds is considered.[citation needed]There are variations within each breed, so selection criteria are necessary to select the individuals to be included on the project. Accordingly, studies are running parallel under the umbrella of the project, e.g., to evaluate possibleintrogression of wild aurochs into the European cattle population. Furthermore, the food choice and behaviour of the used breeds are examined.[5]
The breeds which are used for crossbreeding mostly stem from theIberian Peninsula andItaly. For example, these areSayaguesa Cattle,Pajuna Cattle, ItalianPodolica andMaremmana primitivo. Although claimed to be genetically close to the aurochs, theLidia breed (Spanish fighting bull) was not used for the project due to its aggressive behaviour.[6]These primitive breeds have decreased in numbers during the last decades, and some are highly endangered. Scottishhighland cattle are used as well, because this breed has a long and dense coat and is very hardy. Several cross individuals have been born already.[7]
Members of the project hope that the Tauros cattle will one day be able to move freely in wild herds in European nature areas just asred deer,wild boar, andwolves do.[8][9]
It is claimed by the project that the genetic relationship between a number of cattle breeds and the aurochs is examined.[6]
The following robust cattle breeds are presently used:[citation needed]
All breeds except Boškarin are being used for breeding in the Dutch herds. Outside of the Netherlands, mainly Sayaguesa, Maremmana, Maronesa and Boškarin are being used as founding breeds, supplemented by crossbreeds from the Dutch sites.[10] By the end of 2015, over 150 animals of the founding breeds have been used in breeding, and almost 300 cross animals have been born, among them 17 animals already of the fourth cross-generation.[10]
In 2014 a mountaineer was killed in theVelebit Mountains by aSayaguesa bull that was part of the project. The bull was later euthanized.[17][18]
