Cachena Cattle
Encyclopedia
The Cachena Cattle is a triple purpose cattle breed from Portugal
and Spain
. In Portugal, it known by the alternative name, Barrosão or Barrosã. Cachena and Barrosã are sometimes considered variants of the same race.
They are light brown to yellow with dark brown nuances around the whithers. The mucosas are unpigmented except of the dark muzzle. The wide and long horns are lyra-shaped.
The Cachena Cattle are one of the smallest cattle breeds of the world: The height is 120 to 125 cm on bulls and 110 to 117 cm on cows. Bulls weigh around 550 kg, cows 390 kg.
, an agriculturally poor district in the extreme north of Portugal. Climate is hot and dry in summer, cold and humid in winter. The grounds are arduous and little fertile. The Cachena Cattle are distributed around the low mountain range regions of the communities in the Spanish natural park
Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés in the frontier region to Portugal. In addition they are spread in the region around the Ourensic village Olelas and in the Portuguese Peneda-Gerês National Park
.
is a Portuguese
Protected Designation of Origin
named "Carne Cachena da Peneda".
It is a very rustical breed, excellently adapted to its environment. The Cachena Cattle are kept in the nature. Their good sense of smell helps them to search for rare herbs in the bushland. The cows are very good mothers and treat their calves exemplarily. The small height may be an adaption to the hostile environment: a small cow needs less energy and survives starving periods.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. In Portugal, it known by the alternative name, Barrosão or Barrosã. Cachena and Barrosã are sometimes considered variants of the same race.
Ancestry and Description
The Cachena Cattle were bred from brown and yellow local cattle in Northern Portugal.They are light brown to yellow with dark brown nuances around the whithers. The mucosas are unpigmented except of the dark muzzle. The wide and long horns are lyra-shaped.
The Cachena Cattle are one of the smallest cattle breeds of the world: The height is 120 to 125 cm on bulls and 110 to 117 cm on cows. Bulls weigh around 550 kg, cows 390 kg.
Distribution
The Cachena Cattle were originally bred in the Vila Real DistrictVila Real (district)
The District of Vila Real is a district of northern Portugal. With an area of 4,239 km², the district is located west of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro River. Vila Real has always belonged to the historical province of Tras-os-Montes. Approximate population in the 2001...
, an agriculturally poor district in the extreme north of Portugal. Climate is hot and dry in summer, cold and humid in winter. The grounds are arduous and little fertile. The Cachena Cattle are distributed around the low mountain range regions of the communities in the Spanish natural park
Natural park (Spain)
In Spain, a natural park is a natural space protected for its biology, geology, or landscape, with ecological, aesthetic, educational, or scientific value whose preservation merits preferential attention on the part of public administration. The regulation of the activities that may occur there...
Baixa Limia-Serra do Xurés in the frontier region to Portugal. In addition they are spread in the region around the Ourensic village Olelas and in the Portuguese Peneda-Gerês National Park
Peneda-Gerês National Park
The Peneda-Gerês National Park , also known simply as Gerês, is the only national park in Portugal...
.
Use
Originally the Cachena Cattle were a triple-purpose cattle breed. Nowadays they are only used for beef production. The beef is known for its excellent quality. The Cachena cow produces a little amount of milk that is of markedly good taste because of the wild herbs of the range, quasi perfumed. It is refined to the cheese named "Brandas da Cachena". The beefBeef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
is a Portuguese
Agriculture in Portugal
Agriculture in Portugal is based on small to medium-sized family-owned dispersed units, however, the sector also includes larger scale intensive farming export-oriented agrobusinesses backed by companies...
Protected Designation of Origin
Protected designation of origin
Protected Geographical Status is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods. Protected Designation of Origin , Protected Geographical Indication and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework...
named "Carne Cachena da Peneda".
It is a very rustical breed, excellently adapted to its environment. The Cachena Cattle are kept in the nature. Their good sense of smell helps them to search for rare herbs in the bushland. The cows are very good mothers and treat their calves exemplarily. The small height may be an adaption to the hostile environment: a small cow needs less energy and survives starving periods.
Protection
There were only 100 Cachena Cattle exemplars. In Portugal a plan for maintenance of domesticated animals in danger of extinction was made. A Cachena Cattle herdbook was founded 1990.External links
- (pt) Cachena
- (es) Boaga
- (es) federapes
- (it) cachena.
- (pt) barrosã e cachena.