Domestication of cattle, one of the important animal in farming culture, has a long history in China. The objectives of the study were to reveal the maternal genetic background of Pingliang native cattle and to assess its potential to be improved into a high quality beef genotype. A total of 88 Pingliang native cattle were sequenced for their mtDNA D-loop HVS region. The haplotypes and phylogenetic relationship of 23 Chinese local cattle population including Pingliang cattle were jointly analyzed. Ninety five haplotypes were identified and they distributed into two major phylogenetic groups reconstructed following phylogenetic and network analyses, representing the distinct mtDNA genomes of Bos tauraus and B. indicus cattle, respectively. Pingliang native cattle was derived from these two maternal genetic backgrounds, which might have migrated and expanded into the Central China following different introductions from north and south for the taurine cattle and from south to north for the zebuine cattle. Whereas a movement from west to east was observed for both cattle genetic backgrounds, and Pingliang cattle distributed in both maternal genetic backgrounds.