The Alentejana is a
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...
breed from
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
that was the main breed raised for meat in Southern Portugal historically. The Alentejana breed has the
protected geographical status
Three European Union schemes of geographical indications and traditional specialties, known as protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), and traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG), promote and protect na ...
of
DOC
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* Doc (nickname)
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(''Denominação de Origem Controlada'') from the
European Commission
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. Genetics show that it contains DNA from Africa that may have arrived during the era the region was under Muslim control. It is closely related to the Spanish
Retinta breed.
The breed region is circumscribed almost exclusively to the Southern Portuguese Region of
Alentejo
Alentejo ( , , ) is a geographical, historical, and cultural region of south–central and southern Portugal. In Portuguese, its name means "beyond the Tagus" ().
Alentejo includes the regions of Alto Alentejo Province, Alto Alentejo and Bai ...
, in both, High and Low Alentejo.
The race is represented by rustic, energetic and gentle animals that in the recent past were used to work.
See also
*
Mertolenga
The Mertolenga is a Portuguese breed of cattle. It is named for the concelho of Mértola in south-eastern Alentejo, bordering with Spain. In 2003 it was one of thirteen registered Portuguese cattle breeds, constituting approximately 19 per cent ...
*
Longhorn
References
External links
*http://autoctones.ruralbit.com/index.php?rac=1&esp=1&pais=pt
{{Cattle breeds of Portugal
Cattle breeds
Cattle breeds originating in Portugal
Portuguese products with protected designation of origin