Spain #1 Cattle Breeds

1-The Albera is an endangered breed of small cattle indigenous to the Albera Massif, which divides Catalonia from France and lies partly in the comarca of Alt Empordà in the Catalan province of Girona, and partly in the comarca of Vallespir in the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales.The cattle are highly resistant to cold, though susceptible to heat, and are well adapted to the steep terrain of the massif.[528 Albera cow near the Tour de la Massane (fr), in the commune of Argelès-sur-Mer. Conservation status FAO (2007): endangered-maintained Other names Alberes Massanaise Country of origin Spain, France Distribution Albera Massif Standard Departamento de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Natural (in Spanish) Use meat, vegetation management Traits Weight Male: 350 kg Female: 275 kg The Albera is an endangered breed of small cattle indigenous to the Albera Massif, which divides Catalonia from France and lies partly in the comarca of Alt Empordà in the Catalan province of Girona, and partly in the comarca of Vallespir in the French département of Pyrénées-Orientales.The cattle are highly resistant to cold, though susceptible to heat, and are well adapted to the steep terrain of the massif. Albera cow near the Tour de la Massane (fr), in the commune of Argelès-sur-Mer. Conservation status FAO (2007): endangered-maintained Other names Alberes Massanaise Country of origin Spain, France Distribution Albera Massif Standard Departamento de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca, Alimentación y Medio Natural (in Spanish) Use meat, vegetation management Traits Weight Male: 350 kg Female: 275 kg Height Male: 126 cm Female: 121 cm Coat variable Horn status small, half-moon-shaped Cattle Bos (primigenius) taurus The two types, Albera Negra and Albera Fagina History Although the presence of a cattle breed in the Albera Massif was noted in the nineteenth century, the first description of the Albera dates from 1957. At that time three sub-types were distinguished within the breed: a dark-coated type; a variable paler type; and a third type deriving from cross-breeding with Braunvieh stock. More recently, the types are considered to be two: the Negra, or dark type, and the Fagina, or paler type. In 1999 the Fagina type was found to be genetically closer to the Bruna de los Pirineos breed than to the Albera Negra type. A breeders' association, the Associació de Ramaders de la Vaca de l'Albera, was founded in 2008. The Albera breed received official recognition on 27 July 2011; a breed standard was approved, and a herd book established.At the end of 2014 the total population was recorded as 763, of which 618 were female and 145 male. Use and management The Albera is highly resistant to cold, though susceptible to heat, and is well adapted to the steep terrain of the Albera Massif. The cattle are kept year-round in semi-feral conditions, at an altitude between 200 and 1000 metres, foraging for food including the shoots and mast of the beech trees of the massif. They have little contact with man, and little productive capacity: cows calve every two years, and produce barely enough milk for the calf; meat yield is very low, of the order of 35–40%. The cattle are used in vegetation management: by clearing undergrowth they help to prevent forest fires. Height Male: 126 cm Female: 121 cm Coat variable Horn status small, half-moon-shaped Cattle Bos (primigenius) taurus The two types, Albera Negra and Albera Fagina History Although the presence of a cattle breed in the Albera Massif was noted in the nineteenth century, the first description of the Albera dates from 1957. At that time three sub-types were distinguished within the breed: a dark-coated type; a variable paler type; and a third type deriving from cross-breeding with Braunvieh stock. More recently, the types are considered to be two: the Negra, or dark type, and the Fagina, or paler type. In 1999 the Fagina type was found to be genetically closer to the Bruna de los Pirineos breed than to the Albera Negra type. A breeders' association, the Associació de Ramaders de la Vaca de l'Albera, was founded in 2008. The Albera breed received official recognition on 27 July 2011; a breed standard was approved, and a herd book established.At the end of 2014 the total population was recorded as 763, of which 618 were female and 145 male. Use and management Everything she The Albera is highly resistant to cold, though susceptible to heat, and is well adapted to the steep terrain of the Albera Massif. The cattle are kept year-round in semi-feral conditions, at an altitude between 200 and 1000 metres, foraging for food including the shoots and mast of the beech trees of the massif. They have little contact with man, and little productive capacity: cows calve every two years, and produce barely enough milk for the calf; meat yield is very low, of the order of 35–40%. The cattle are used in vegetation management: by clearing undergrowth they help to prevent forest fires. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 2-It is in 1942 when the first technical description of the breed was done. In that date, it was considered a variety of the group of breeds called "Morenas del Noroeste" (Northwest dark-haired), that today are many different breeds (Alistana-Sanabresa, Vianesa, Frieiresa, Sayaguesa, Limiana…). In fact, in the Spanish Breeds Official Census of 1979, Alistana-Sanabresa was considered two different breeds: Alistana and Sanabresa. Finally, just two years later, in the Autochthonous Spanish Breeds Catalogue, Alistana-Sanabresa appeared as a single breed. Traditionally Alistana-Sanabresa breed had a triple aptitude; it was used as a draught animal for agriculture labours being its meat and milk also consumed. With the industrialization of agriculture, from the '60, its use as a draught animal has been consigned to the oblivion, being nowadays dedicated to beef production. Trend of population In the middle of the last century the Alistana-Sanabresa breed had an estimated population of 37.000 animals. During the following decades the expansion of industrialized agriculture gradually substituted draught animals by vehicles. The "modern" production systems (intensive farming, foreign high productive breeds…) pushed traditional farms to isolated areas where the Alistana-Sanabresa breed was more adapted and was conserved, In the last decade the breed census seems to be recovering, being nowadays above 2.500 animals. There has also occurred a modest expansion of the distribution area of the breed. Alistana-Sanabresa animals can be found nowadays in most of Zamora and in many others provinces of Castilla y León. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3-The Andalusian Black (Spanish: Negra Andaluza[1]), known locally as the Negra de las Campiñas, is a taurine breed of cattle that originated in west Andalusia, Spain. They are similar to the Avileña-Black Iberian breed, however the two are distinguished geographically. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 4-The Andalusian Grey is a rare strain of the Andalusian Black with blue roan coloration. The breed is found in the mountains of North Córdoba and North Huelva in Spain. The Spanish government has sponsored a herd of these cattle in Badajoz in an attempt to prevent their extinction. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 5-Asturiana de la Montaña, Casina, Asturiana Oriental Asturian Mountain is a local Spanish beef breed of enormous foraging capacity and good maternal ability. It is reared in extensive conditions in the East of the "Principado de Asturias", in the north of Spain, mainly in the mountain range of the "Picos de Europa" within the National Park of Covadonga. The "Asturiana de la Montaña" breed (RAM) has been part of the landscape and ecosystem of the east of Asturias for a very long time, carrying out an important role in the conservation of the natural environment and landscape and as a consequence, in the fixation of the population in poor areas. The breed belongs to the Cantabric branch of very ancient origins, and perhaps related to the Asturian Valley breed. The RAM is the descendant of the eastern "Roxa" beef group, historically located in the "Principado de Asturias". This groups is distinct from the western "Roxa", despite of evidence of further variability among animals and among areas within the population. For centuries, breeders of the eastern "Roxa" group in the council of Caso and bordering valleys such as Ponga, selected for higher milk yields aimed at cheese production. This selection made a reputation for the bulls from the council of Caso because of their daughters’ higher milk yield, and changed their farms into sire exporters for the whole of the east of Asturias, playing an important part in the fixation of what nowadays we know as the Asturian Mountain breed. The official census of the RAM proceeds from the herdbook which is managed by the Breeders Association of Selected Asturiana de la Montaña Cattle (ASEAMO) since its creation in 1978. Despite of the slow growth of the population, industrial crossing, mainly with sires of the Asturian Valley breed, has caused a decrease in the number of purebred Asturian Mountain dams. On the other hand, there is a growing demand for RAM dams from breeders from outside Asturias for rearing in extensive systems and for industrial crossing with sires from other industrial beef breeds, which is affecting the availability for reposition stock in the home of the breed. asturianmountain-web. The following points can be considered as the standard breed characteristics: Medium head with straight profile and big occipital protuberance. Small ears with much hair and slightly prominent eyes with a calm look. Horns born in the elongation of the nape of the neck, shorter and wider in the bulls, horizontal in the base and directed ahead and up with their ends directed to the back and outside. Medium neck, thin except in the male, muscled and with a big and discontinuous dewlap, which continues in little and lean withers, well-joined to the slightly muscular back but well-directed, with a slightly saddled back which ends in the hindquarters, narrow in its back diameters and slightly bent, with the birth of the tail often lifted up. Descending chest, deep and spacious breast, and well-proportioned abdomen. Short or medium extremities, beefy on the top with very thin skeletal ratios and small, round and hard hoof. Mammary glands with good development and great quality, well-implanted teats and thin and soft skin. Brown coat, more or less discolored to cream tones, with a white band round the snout and eyes and degraded to creamy colors on the inner part of the extremities, mammary gland, inner part of the thigh and perineal areas. Intensification of the color with black hairs in the edge of the ears and less intense on the edge of the dewlap. The ends, snout, budding horns, eye circles, tail end, and scrotum circle in males, are black as well as the eyelids and eyelashes. The mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, tongue, anus, and vulva are black or slate black. Farms raising the Asturian Mountain are typically small. with eight RAM cows on average and a variable number of animals from other dairy or dual-purpose breeds, which make use of the little grazing near the farms. The use of the communal pastures in the mountains near the farms is used by the RAM cows. Communal pastures are used in variable dates, usually from the beginning of April to the end of December. For the rest of the year, when the heaviest snowfalls, the animals are fed only with grass hay without any kind of supplement. Commercial outputs The basic output is the 7-8 month-old weaned calf for the autumn market. 15 month-old fed calves. 16-18 month-old heifers for production on great demand from extensive farmers of Spanish continental plains, because of their good behavior, rusticity and calving facility (97% of the calvings do not need any help). 2.5-3 year-old bulls, used only for replacement, bred extensively, and kept under specific herd management certified by ASEAMO. The meat of the animals of the breed "Asturiana de la Montaña" is protected by the label "Casin Meat". Asturian Mountain (Spanish: Asturiana de la Montaña), is a local Spanish breed of cattle, possessed of notable foraging ability, breeding capacity, and docility.They are primarily raised in the east of Asturias, in the north of Spain, particularly in the mountain range of the Picos de Europa, including within the National Park of Covadonga. The breed is also known as the Casina. They are beef cattle, the source of meat labeled with the protected designation "Casín" (after the Asturian town of Caso),[citation nand one of three breeds used to produce Casín cheese. Area where Asturian Mountain cattle are prominent The Asturian Mountain breed has been part of the landscape and ecosystem of the east of Asturias for a very long time. This breed belongs to an exclusive bovine group in Spain known as the tronco Cantábrico ('Cantabric trunk') that only includes breeds native to northern Spain, the most numerous of which are the Asturian Valley cattle. The Asturian Mountain is a descendant of the eastern Roxa beef cattle group, historically located in Asturias. Consequently, the breed is sometimes referred to as the RAM (Roxa, Asturian Mountain). This group is distinct from the western Roxa cattle, despite evidence of further variability among animals and areas within the population. For centuries, breeders of the eastern Roxa group in the council of Caso and bordering valleys such as Ponga, selected for higher milk yields aimed at cheese production. This selection made a reputation for the bulls from the council of Caso because of their daughters’ higher milk yield, and changed their farms into sire exporters for the whole of the east of Asturias, playing an important part in the fixation of what nowadays we know as the Asturian Mountain breed. The official census of Asturian Mountain cattle proceeds from the herdbook, which is managed by La Asociación Española de criadores de ganado vacuno selecto de la raza Asturiana de la Montaña (ASEAMO, 'Spanish Association of breeders of selected cattle of the Asturian Mountain breed') since its creation in 1986. Standardized breed characteristics The following points can be considered as the standard breed characteristics: Medium head with straight profile and big occipital protuberance. Small ears with much hair and slightly prominent eyes with a calm look. Horns born in the elongation of the nape of the neck, shorter and wider in the bulls, horizontal in the base and directed ahead and up with their ends directed to the back and outside. Medium neck, thin except in the male, muscled and with a big and discontinuous dewlap, which continues in little and lean withers, well-joined to the slightly muscular back but well-directed, with a slightly saddled back which ends in the hindquarters, narrow in its back diameters and slightly bent, with the birth of the tail often lifted up. Descending chest, deep and spacious breast, and well-proportioned abdomen. Short or medium extremities, beefy on the top with very thin skeletal ratios and small, round and hard hoof. Mammary glands with good development and great quality, well-implanted teats and thin and soft skin. Brown coat, more or less discolored to cream tones, with a white band round the snout and eyes and degraded to creamy colors on the inner part of the extremities, mammary gland, inner part of the thigh and perineal areas. Intensification of the color with black hairs in the edge of the ears and less intense on the edge of the dewlap. The ends, snout, budding horns, eye circles, tail end, and scrotum circle in males, are black as well as the eyelids and eyelashes. The mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, tongue, anus, and vulva are black or slate black. Breeding and farming ASEAMO represents associated farmers in Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Castille-León, Madrid, and La Rioja, Spain. Despite of the slow growth of the population, industrial cross-breeding, mainly with sires of the Asturian Valley breed, has caused a decrease in the number of purebred Asturian Mountain dams. On the other hand, there is a growing demand for Asturian Mountain dams from breeders from outside Asturias for rearing in extensive systems and for industrial crossing with sires from other industrial beef breeds, which is affecting the availability for reposition stock in the home of the breed. Farms raising the Asturian Mountain are typically small, with eight Asturian Mountain cows on average and a variable number of animals from other dairy or dual-purpose breeds, which make use of the little grazing near the farms. The use of the communal pastures in the mountains near the farms is used by the Asturian Mountain cows. Communal pastures are used in variable dates, usually from the beginning of April to the end of December. For the rest of the year, when the heaviest snowfalls, the animals are fed only with grass hay without any kind of supplement. Commercial output The basic output is the 7-8 month-old weaned calf for the autumn market. 15 month-old fed calves. 16-18 month-old heifers for production on great demand from extensive farmers of Spanish continental plains, because of their good behavior, rusticity and calving facility (97% of the calvings do not need any help). 2.5-3 year-old bulls, used only for replacement, bred extensively, and kept under specific herd management certified by ASEAMO. Asturian Mountain (Casina) cattle meat has the protected designation Casín beef or meat, and the breed is one of three that may be used to produce Casín cheese. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6-Asturian Valley (also known as Asturiana Occidental, Asturiana de los Valles, and Carrenana) cattle are raised for both milk and meat production. They originated in the valleys of Asturias, Spain and belongs to an exclusive bovine group in Spain known as the tronco Cantabrico (Cantabric trunk). They are mostly raised in the northern coastal areas on the Bay of Biscay and the river valleys at the foot of the Cordillera Cantabrica mountain range. Their importance as dairy cattle has reduced since other highly productive dairy cattle breeds have been introduced to Spain. They were the most abundant breed in the northern part of the country during the 19th century. But a massive addition of highly productive foreign breeds dangerously lowered their total numbers at the beginning of the 20th century to about 22,000 animals only. Now they are spread to some other parts of Spain. They are medium-sized. They vary from dark brown to light golden brown. And sometimes with a white head, apart from their eyes. Sometimes their underside of the abdomen can also be white. Both bulls and cows usually have horns. Their horns are of medium sized and usually straight. Average live body weight of the mature Asturian Valley cows is around 600 kg. And the mature bulls on average weight around 700 kg. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7-The Avileña-Black Iberian (aka Raza Avileña-Negra Iberica in Sapnish) is a recently amalgamated breed that began in 1980. The two breeds combined together were the Avileña (an ancient working beef breed) and the Black Iberian (a closely related mountain breed). Avileña-Negra Ibérica breed is a medium size breed with a marked sexual dimorphism. Its adult weight varies between 500 to 600 kilograms in the case of females and from 800 to 1000 kg in males. Is typical of this breed its uniform black coat being admitted white snout. Animals with this feature are scarce and considered an endangered breed variety. Avileña-Negra Ibérica measurements, according to the Breed Association defined prototype, are summarized in the following table. FEMALES MALESi height 138 cm 145 cm thorax 135 cm 143 cm Rump H.140 cm 144 cm Rump L. 54 cm 58 cm Rump W. 53 cm 55 cm T.perim. 200 cm 220 cm Breed prototype according to breed Association definition. 1977 Nowadays is a beef specialized breed, producing high quality meat. Traditionally, Avileña-Negra Iberica animals were use for transport and agriculture labour as its main function, but meat production was also important. Milk production has been mainly a secondary use for familiar consumption. Although the first herds specialized in beef production appeared at the beginning of the past century, its use as a draught animal for agriculture labour has remained until the 70’s decade. Avilena location Current (2007) Avileña-Negra Ibérica distribution according to Breed Association. Its geographical core coincides with "Sistema Central" the mountain range of the centre of Spain. Avileña-Negra Iberica herds can be also found in the "Sistema Ibérico", "Sierra Morena", "Sierra de la Demanda" mountain ranges among others. During winter season, it is also traditionally located in "dehesa" forest of Castilla la Mancha, Castilla León, Extremadura and Madrid. Black (Avilena-Black, Iberian, Black Iberian, Negra Iberian, Avilena) Is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8-The Berrenda en negro (aka Berrenda negra andaluza, Raza Berrenda en negro; Berrenda Black Pied and Black Berrendo in English; Aracena in Portuguese) is an authentic color variety. The Berrenda en negro is one of the two color varieties of the Andalusian Black. The Berrenda is a type of cattle from the Spanish region of Andalusia. It is subdivided into two breeds; the Red Berrenda and the Black Berrenda. Both breeds are rustic and very well adapted to the environment. Negra Ibérica (variedad Bociblanca) · Berrenda en Colorado · Berrenda en Negro. The Berrenda en negro (aka Berrenda negra andaluza, Raza Berrenda en negro; Berrenda Black Pied and Black Berrendo in English; Aracena in Portuguese) is an authentic color variety. The Berrenda en negro is one of the two color varieties of the Andalusian Black. The race is represented by rustic, energetic and gentle animals that in the recent past were used to work. Negra Black Berrenda Cattle (Berrenda, Black Pied, Aracena) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9-The Berrenda is a type of cattle from the Spanish region of Andalusia. It is subdivided into two breeds; the Red Berrenda and the Black Berrenda. Both breeds are rustic and very well adapted to the environment. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 10-