The Rubia Gallega,
Galician: Rubia Galega, is a
breed of
cattle native to the
autonomous community of
Galicia in north-western Spain. It is raised mainly for meat.[3]: 143 It is distributed throughout Galicia, with about 75% of the population concentrated in the
province of
Lugo.[4] The coat may be red-blond, wheaten, or cinnamon-coloured.[3]: 145
History
A herdbook was established in 1933.[2] In the 20th century, some crossbreeding occurred with the Portuguese
Barrosã, Swiss
Braunvieh,
Simmental, and British
Shorthorn breeds.[5]: 105
At the end of 2015, the total registered Rubia Gallega population was 39,971, of which almost all were in Galicia.[6] The breed is distributed throughout the autonomous community, with about 75% of the population concentrated in Lugo.[4] It is found particularly at altitudes above about 550 m in the mountainous areas in the northern part of the province, including the
Serra da Carba [
gl], the
Serra de Lourenzá [
gl], and the
Serra de Xistral [
gl].[7]: 74
Use
The Rubia Gallega is primarily a
beef cattle breed.[2] The milk is used in the production of
Tetilla cheese,[8] which has had
Denominación de Origen certification since 1993 and European
DOP certification since 1996.[9] The Rubia Gallega has a tranquil temperament and is suitable for
draught work; however, it is slow in comparison to
oxen of other breeds.[5]: 109
References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rubia Gallega.
^
abcBreed data sheet: Rubia Gallega/Spain. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed January 2016.
^
abcdefgMiguel Fernández Rodríguez, Mariano Gómez Fernández, Juan Vicente Delgado Bermejo, Silvia Adán Belmonte, Miguel Jiménez Cabras (eds.) (2009). Guía de campo de las razas autóctonas españolas (in Spanish). Madrid: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino.
ISBN9788449109461.
^
abRaza bovina Rubia Gallega (in Spanish). Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. Accessed January 2016.
^
abM. H. French, I. Johansson (1969).
Razas Europeas de Ganado Bovino, volume II (in Spanish). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
^M. Legide and A. Ceular (April 1994).
La raza Rubia Gallega ecotipo de montaña (in Spanish). Animal Genetic Resources / Resources génétiques animales / Recursos genéticos animales. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISSN 2078-6344. 14: 73–78.
doi:
10.1017/S1014233900000353
These are the
cattle breeds considered in Spain to be wholly or partly of Spanish origin. Inclusion here does not necessarily imply that a breed is predominantly or exclusively Spanish.