The La Reina is a Creole breed of cattle

Cattle

Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...

 and was developed in, and is unique to, Nicaragua

Nicaragua

Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...

. The Reina cattle have special characteristics for the tropics

Tropics

The tropics is a region of the Earth surrounding the Equator. It is limited in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately  N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere at  S; these latitudes correspond to the axial tilt of the Earth...

, they possess genes that make them heat tolerant. It is a very useful breed in the Nicaraguan agrarian culture as it can be used for both meat

Meat

Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...

 and dairy

Dairy

A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...

 purposes.

It is reported that only one pure commercial herd is maintained in Nicaragua.

Recently the Government of Nicaragua

Government of Nicaragua

Nicaragua is a constitutional democracy with executive, legislative, judicial, and electoral branches of government. The President of Nicaragua is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the National Assembly. The...

 declared the Reina a National Treasure and in conjunction with the National Agrarian University of Nicaragua (Universidad Nacional Agraria

Universidad Nacional Agraria

The National Agrarian University is in Managua, Nicaragua. UNA is a superior academic, public, autonomous, and nonprofit institution designed to the sustainable development of agricultural through the formation of competitive professionals with ethic, moral values, and environmental cultural; the...

) (UNA) agreed to a genetic improvement program of the cattle.

Characteristics

Reina cattle are red in colour and are slick haired, giving superior heat tolerance. They are a dairy breed that can give up to 7000 pounds of milk on forage only diets.