Conservation status | FAO (2007): not at risk [1] : 106 |
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Other names | Spanish: Bruna de los Pirineos [2] |
Country of origin | Spain |
Distribution | northern Catalonia |
Standard | Departament d'Agricultura, Ramadería i Pesca (in Spanish) |
Use |
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Traits | |
Weight | |
Height | |
Coat | greyish-brown |
Horn status | horned |
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The Bruna dels Pirineus, Spanish : 'Bruna de los Pirineos', is a breed of cattle from the south-eastern Pyrenees, in the northern part of Catalonia. It derives from cross-breeding of local cattle with Swiss Braunvieh stock imported in the nineteenth century through France and through the Val d'Aran. It is distributed throughout the northern comarcas of Catalonia, Alta Ribagorça, Alt Urgell, Berguedà, Cerdanya, Pallars Jussà, Pallars Sobirà, Ripollès, Solsonès and Val d'Aran. [4] : 67 The Bruna dels Pirineus constitutes about 80% of the beef herd of Catalonia. [4] : 66
The Bruna dels Pirineus derives from cross-breeding of local cattle of the Catalana (now extinct), the Pallaresa and the Pirenaica breeds with Swiss Braunvieh stock imported in the nineteenth century through France and through the Val d'Aran. The first written documentation of these importations is from 1922, but there is evidence going back to 1880 of imports to help satisfy the demand for milk for butter manufacture in Cerdanya. [4] : 67
In the 1970s specialised meat breeds, Charolais and Limousin, were imported to Catalonia, but did not adapt successfully to the mountain environment. From the 1980s breeding of the Bruna dels Pirineus, which is well adapted to that environment, began to be oriented more towards meat production. [5] A number of local breeders' associations were formed; a federation of these breeders' associations, the Federació Catalana de la Raça Bruna dels Pirineus, was formed in 1990. In the same year a breed standard was approved and a herd book was established by the Generalitat de Catalunya. [4] : 67 The Bruna dels Pirineus breed received official national recognition on 7 November 1997, when it was classified among the breeds "at risk of extinction" by the Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, the Spanish ministry of agriculture. [4] : 67
At the end of 2014 the total population was recorded as 13,542, of which 12,421 were female and 1121 male. [6]
The Bruna dels Pirineus, like the Braunvieh, was initially a triple-purpose breed, used as a draught animal and for milk and meat production. It later became dual-purpose, for meat and dairy use, and more recently has become predominantly a meat breed. [4] : 67 It constitutes about 80% of the beef herd of Catalonia. [4] : 66
Management is generally extensive, with transhumance from the valleys to higher mountain pasture in the summer months. [7]
The Sayaguesa is an endangered Spanish breed of domestic cattle. It is named for the comarca of Sayago in the province of Zamora, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castilla y León, and is raised almost exclusively in that area. It may also be known as the Zamorana, the Moles de Sayago or the Castellana variedad Sayaguesa. It was traditionally kept mainly for draught work, but is now raised principally for meat.
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The Zamorano-Leonés is a breed of large domestic donkey from the provinces of Zamora and León, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León, in north-western Spain. The name derives from those of the two provinces.
The Asno de las Encartaciones, Basque: Enkarterriko asto, is a breed of small domestic donkey from the western part of the autonomous community of the Basque Country, in north-east Spain. It is named for the comarca of Las Encartaciones (Enkarterri), in the province of Biscay (Bizkaia). It is the only small donkey breed of Spain, and resembles the Gascon donkey, now a sub-type of the Pyrenean donkey. The Asno de las Encartaciones is critically endangered, and is protected by conservation measures.
The Balearic, Catalan: Ase Balear, Spanish: Asno Balear, is a Spanish breed of domestic donkey indigenous to the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, in the Mediterranean off the eastern coast of Spain. It is found mainly in Mallorca, the largest island of the group, and also in Menorca, where it was much used for mule-breeding; it is no longer present in the islands of Eivissa and Formentera. Since 2006 it has been officially called the Raça Asenca Balear; it was previously known as the Raça Asenca Mallorquina, and was also referred to as the Ase MallorquÍ, Asno Mallorquín or Mallorquín.
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The Terreña, Basque: Behi terreña, is an endangered breed of mountain cattle indigenous to the autonomous community of the Basque Country in northern Spain. It is distributed mostly in the provinces of Álava and Bizkaia, with some localised populations in Gipuzkoa.
The Palmera is an endangered breed of cattle from the island of San Miguel de La Palma, in the Spanish autonomous community of the Canary Islands. The cattle are not indigenous to the island, but were brought by European settlers in the fifteenth century. The Palmera derives from the Rubia Gallega breed of Galicia. It is distributed mostly in the municipalities of Breña Alta, Breña Baja, El Paso, Garafía, Los Llanos de Aridane and Villa de Mazo, with small numbers in the municipalities of Puntagorda, Santa Cruz de La Palma and Tijarafe; a few may be found on the islands of Fuerteventura and Tenerife.
The Menorquina is an endangered breed of cattle from the Mediterranean island of Menorca, in the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It belongs to the group of convex-profiled red cattle, whose distribution across the northern Mediterranean region is thought to have followed the path of the Bell-Beaker Culture. It is one of only two autochthonous Spanish breeds of dairy cattle, the other being the Pasiega. The milk is particularly suitable for cheese production, and is used to make Mahón cheese, which has DOP status.
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The Euskal Antzara is a traditional Spanish breed of domestic goose. It originates in the historical Basque Country. It is the only recognised goose breed of that area, and one of two Spanish breeds of goose, the other being the Oca Empurdanesa. It is distributed mainly in the comarca of Enkarterri in the province of Bizkaia, particularly in the areas of Abanto, Balmaseda, Güeñes, Karrantza and Zalla.
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