Cachena cattle

The Cachena cattle are a breed of cattle from the north of Portugal and Galicia. It is a sort of miniature Barrosã, which occurs only in a very small population.

Origin and appearance

Cachena cattle are one of the smallest breeds of cattle in the world: The withers of the cows is only 110-117 cm average at 390 kg. The bulls measure 120 to 125 cm at 550 kg. The coat color is pale brown, blond to deep reddish with dark brown shades in the shoulder area. The mucous membranes are unpigmented except for the dark Flotzmauls. Particularly characteristic is the huge, sweeping, curved horns lyraförmig - up to 75 cm in length, which make them appear larger.

The origin of Barrosa, and thus the Cachena is unknown. The Cachena provide resized into all parts of the Barrosa dar. There are various theories descent. Appearance features with the " bos taurus desertorum " are only in the form of their horns justified and therefore represent only a too weak hypothesis dar. French 1969 suspects a paleontological affinity and similarity with the " bos primigenius mauretanicus " from which some cattle breeds of North Africa derived leave.

About the appearance wrote the well-known Spanish cattle scientist Antonio Sánchez Belda 1967 during a cattle colloquium in Portugal: " The aesthetics and especially the expression of the head and the intricate harmony within her small body gives the specimens of this breed a unique character, the other without comparison to any race in Europe. " Sánchez Belda writes the race to develop independently. He calls its own lineage branch, the so-called " tronco cantabrio ", and moves so that the Cachena in the vicinity of a relic. The race must have existed from time immemorial in the north of Portugal, where it came to mixing and new race courses, as to the Portuguese breeds Arouquesa, Maronesa, Mirandesa.

Dissemination

Cachena cattle originated from the district of Vila Real, from the mountain Barroso, or Alturas do Barroso ( Mont Alegre and Boticas ), an agriculturally poor region in the far north of Portugal. The climate is hot and dry in summer, cold and damp in winter. The soils are steep, rocky and not very fertile. Cachena cattle spread across the mittelgebirgigen areas of the municipalities that are part of the Spanish Natural Park Baixa Limia - Serra do Xurés the frontier with Portugal, especially around the ourensische village Olelas, they also occur in the mountain regions of the Portuguese Peneda -Gerês.

Use

Originally it was in the Cachena cattle than typical landrace to use three cattle: milk, meat and work. Today they are more commonly used for meat production. It is known for its good quality. The Cachena - cow produces a small amount of milk, but is of very good taste, as it were perfumed by the wild surroundings and enhanced by the production of the cheese " Brandas because Cachena ". The meat is a Portuguese DOC product and is marketed under the name " Carne Cachena da Peneda ".

It is a very rustic breed that is well adapted to their environment. Cachenas be kept outdoors all year round. You are looking for with their very keen sense of smell in the branches for rare herbs. The cows are good mothers and take care of their calves exemplary. In their environment, and their calves defend against the Iberian wolves, forming with their heads and horns a protective wall. The small size seems to be an adaptation to the hostile environment. A small cow requires less energy and can survive periods of starvation, thus better.

Protection

The population of the Cachena cattle was 220 cows and 22 bulls in 18 herds in 1991 census in Spain.

In Portugal, a plan for the conservation of endangered species of domestic animals was launched. A herd book was established in 1990.