Largest breed of cattle

The largest breed of cattle is the Chianina, which was brought to the Chiana Valley in Italy from the Middle East in pre-Roman times. Four types of the breed exist, the largest of which is the Valdichiana Chianina, found on the plains and low hills of Arezzo and Siena. Bulls average 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) at the shoulder and weigh 1,300 kg (2,865 lb), but Chianina oxen have been known to attain heights of 1.9 m (6 ft 2.75 in).

The sheer expense of feeding such huge cattle has put the breed under threat of extinction in Italy, but farmers in North America, Mexico and Brazil are still enthusiastic buyers of the breed.