Meat · Breed · Short entry
Rubia Gallega
The golden-coated beef breed of Galicia, in north-western Spain, named for its colour and its homeland. About three-quarters of the population is in Lugo province, on small family grazing farms. Its calves supply the Ternera Gallega protected geographical indication.
Galicia's blond cattle
The Spanish ministry's breed catalogue lists the Rubia Gallega as a native breed of Galicia. It is found across the region, centred on Lugo province, with scattered herds in Castilla y León, Madrid, La Rioja and Aragón. The coat is a single colour, known in Galician as "teixa", ranging from light (marelo) to dark (bermello). White patches are undesirable. Both sexes are horned; the horns are pinkish, whitish at the base and darker only at the tips. Males stand about 149 cm and weigh about 1,300 kg; females stand about 138 cm and weigh about 600 kg.
The breed is kept for meat in a traditional, grass-based family system on Galicia's small farms, in mountain areas and inland valleys at about 300 to 600 m. The ministry gives a carcass yield of 60 %. Its meat is sold under the IGP Ternera Gallega and the breed mark "Carne de Rubia Gallega".
How it connects
Breed
- similar Blonde d'Aquitaine
