Čestr, or Czech Fleckvieh cattle: Here's everything you should know
"The Czech Fleckvieh cattle is a breed that has long been bred in our countries for dual utility: it was for milk and meat. It used to pull ploughs as well. Gradually, it started to be improved with dairy breeds to increase its productivity and body frame. It's characterised by good muscling, the meat is tender and tasty, especially from steers and heifers," says František Kšána from Naše Meat, where Amaso supplies.
"Čestr" has its origins in a traditional Czech breed which was crossed with Simmental or Bernese cattle at the end of the 19th century. The name Czech Fleckvieh cattle was not coined until the late 1960s.
The more fat, the better
Although the idea that the best beef is from a bull still prevails in the Czech Republic, František and Vlasta Lacina, the head of Amaso, stick to their belief that the meat must be evenly marbled with fat. This ensures juiciness and a full meaty flavour.
"In our country, a sturdy, meaty and 'lean' bull is preferred. We, on the other hand, want the animal to have some fat in it and the meat to be lightly marbled with it. But the heifers and steers are not in the best classes and the breeders are losing out a little. Even though we think they are breeding a better animal in terms of meat flavour and muscle tenderness, they get less money for it. Properly fed bulls gain about 1.3 kilograms a day, and according to the conformation and weight classes they are more desirable and are bought in better conditions," says František.
A comparison of a bull and heifer at 14 and 18 months clearly shows that more fat is stored in the females. Their muscles grow more slowly, but they contain more fat. This is because the heifers are ready to have calves. Steers, on the other hand, grow muscle more slowly after castration and store fat more quickly. That's why their meat is more finely marbled than that of heifers.
How to fatten the animals properly?
Feeding the animal appropriately in the last three to six months of its life will help to ensure that the meat gets the desired fat cover. And what does the ideal menu look like? The animal needs to be supplied with carbohydrates, so grain is the basis and corn is an important component. "Wheat, corn, a proportion of scrap, molasses... Almost like when people have muesli or granola for breakfast," laughs Vlasta Lacina, head of Amaso. It was he who rediscovered the breed years ago, together with Radek Chaloupka, general manager of Naše maso.
According to František Kšana, the meat from steers and heifers is the best. Thanks to the fattening process, it is more tender and juicy after maturing. "For the record, in North America, herds are largely made up of steers, because Americans prefer marbled meat. It's a preference that is beginning to change here, too. Our customers are getting used to marbling,' concludes the master butcher.
