Italian rapid heavy draft agricultural horse (T.P.R.)

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Italian rapid heavy draft agricultural horse (T.P.R.)

Cavallo agricolo italiano

Italian rapid heavy draft agricultural horse (T.P.R.)

Equus caballus L.

RISK OF EROSION Threatened

DESCRIPTION The CAITPR breed is characterized by peculiar characteristics that make it easily recognizable even to non-experts; The chestnut coat, ubero, bay, preferably loaded, with or without fixed spots (star, slate, balzane); other cloaks tolerated. Tuft, mane and tail (whole or cropped) with thick, long, smooth and wavy hair, a rather light, square, lean, well set head; wide and flat forehead, well-raised orbital arches; large, lively eyes; straight nose profile with rather wide nose bridge; large and mobile nostrils; intramaxillary canal well open, dry, ears rather small, mobile well attached. Neck: with good muscular masses, of the right length, well formed and well carried. Withers: Moderately raised, muscular, lean.

BACKGROUND The history of the CAITPR breed officially begins in 1927 with the birth of the first generation of foals of the “Selected Fertilization Stations” established by law in 1926. In reality, the origin of this equine strain dates back to previous decades. In fact, Italy has historically never counted any heavy draft breed in its equine heritage. However, after the unification (1860), the increasingly entrepreneurial development of agriculture in the Po Valley and the needs of the Army, with particular reference to artillery, made the need for a consistent and qualified national production increasingly evident. of draft horses. After numerous cross tests of the Po Valley mares population with the most famous European shooting breeds, the companies of the eastern plain, which fell under the jurisdiction of the Stalloni Deposit of Ferrara (direct operational emanation of the Ministry of War) with determination towards the Breton stallions of the Norfolk-Breton type. The first imports of these stallions, particularly solicited by some breeders of the Verona area, took place in 1911 and continued more and more widely until the mid-1920s despite the difficulties and the slowdown imposed by the 1st World War. These breeders worked on mares of different origins among which the Hackney derivations stood out, but Percheron, Breton or Belgian / Ardennese origins were not infrequent. The results were considered very positive, as the crossing gave rise to robust subjects of medium-heavy size and also endowed with brilliance of movements and elegance that were particularly suitable for the purposes of field artillery, but also for medium transport. heavy civilians and for complementary agricultural work on large farms (haymaking, sowing, harrowing, etc.). In 1926 the “selected stations” began to operate, identifying the groups of mares that went to constitute the original maternal base of the breed; in 1927 the first officially controlled generation was born and the constitution of Italian families of the “agricultural / artillery” type (otherwise initially called “Breton derivative”) began. The geographical area of ​​production was represented by the Venetian plain, the province of Ferrara and the Friuli plain.

TYPICAL FARMING AREA Farms have spread with greater concentration in Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo and Puglia; moderate numbers are found in Friuli, Marche, Tuscany, Molise and Campania. More isolated but very active farms from a selective point of view are present in Piedmont, Lombardy, Trentino and Basilicata.

OTHER INTEREST IN CONSERVATION
Product enhancement: Given the valuable nutritional and organoleptic characteristics of meat, it would be necessary to preserve, protect and support the breeding of the CAITPR breed and above all to promote its meat products.
Environmental Tourism: given the vocation of our region towards environmental tourism, the breeding of this breed could give rise to subjects used for amateur attacks, trekking, and nature walks, without excluding the possibility of re-introducing them in agricultural work, especially in companies in the organic or biodynamic circuit, or in forest work in particular in areas with a more delicate environmental balance.
Conservation of the landscape: the ability of the breed to adapt to different types of breeding, always ensuring the minimum environmental impact, allows its breeding in the wild even in the most marginal areas, allowing its exploitation and ensuring the protection and conservation of all those mountain areas that would otherwise be abandoned.


Texts taken from “Regional register of indigenous genetic resources of the Umbria Region”.

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