Portugal has 65 indigenous breeds, especially cattle and sheep

Portugal has 65 indigenous breeds, i.e. from the country, mainly cattle and sheep, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Sea today released.

“In Portugal we currently have 17 cattle, 16 sheep, six goats, six equidae, three pigs, five birds, 11 canids and one bee,” the Ministry of Agriculture announced, when it marks the National Day of Autochthonous Breeds.

Among the cattle are the Mertolenga, Algarve, Jarmelista, Alentejo, marine, barrosan, black, large branch, catrina, maronesse, brava de lede, caçana, minhota, mirandesa, carvonesa, brava dos Açores and aroquossa.

In turn, the breeds of sheep are the badana barbecue, mondegueira, white merino, black merino, mirandese galega barbecue, saloia, Algarve barbecue, Minho barbecue, borderline between the Douro and Minho, white bragançana galega grill, black bragançana grill, campança, Serra da Estrela, Terra grill Hot, country grill and Beira Baixa merino.

The native breeds of birds are white, yellow, Portuguese black, Portuguese black turkey and Portuguese pedrês.

The bee is apis mellifera iberiensis.

The breeds of canids, in turn, are a dog from the Serra de Aires, a São Miguel line dog, a dog from the barocal Algarve, a dog from the Barbado da Terceira, a Portuguese perdigeiro, a Portuguese water dog from the Alentejo, a Portuguese dog from the Serra da Estrela, a dog from Castro Laboreiro and a transmontano cattle dog.

On the side of the horses are the dwarf donkey of Graciosa, Miranda's donkey, Lusitano, Third-Pony, garrano and the sorraia.

The breeds of pigs are the Alentejo, crocheted of Alcobaça and bisaro, while the breeds of goats are black of Montesinho, charnequeira, algarvia, serrana, bravia and serpentine.

“Celebrating the National Day of Autochthonous Races is to recognize a heritage that is part of the identity of Portugal and that must preserve, value and transmit to future generations”, said the ministry led by José Manuel Fernandes, in a note published on social networks.

The Government stressed that the native breeds of Portugal are the result of centuries of adaptation to the territory and reflect the diversity of landscape and knowledge of several generations of producers.

It therefore stressed that its creation contributes to the conservation of biodiversity, the dynamism of the local economy and the maintenance of rural communities.

“ To value this heritage is also to recognize the work of the creators and associations that ensure their continuity on a daily basis. They are the guardians of a legacy that combines tradition, knowledge and ability to adapt to the challenges of the future ", noted.