Native Breeds Of The Valencian Community
Among the cattle breeds that inhabit the Iberian Peninsula, the autochthonous breeds of the Valencian Community are of special interest due to the geographical situation in which they are found, which are very different from the rest of Spain.
Native breeds of the Valencian Community: birds
If the autochthonous breeds of the Valencian Community stand out for something, it is for their avian production, and specifically the use of pigeons: the Valencian figurine is an example of this, on the verge of disappearing and considered the first peninsular autochthonous breed to be rounded up. On the other hand, the new Valencian buchón is another of the popular pigeon breeds in the community.
However, among the autochthonous breeds of the Valencian Community, the chulilla chicken stands out, a breed with a strong beak and a powerful crest, with a black color in much of its body. This hen, originally from the Los Serranos region, is a traditional laying hen in the area that has survived to this day.
Native breeds of the Valencian Community: small ruminants
Although the origin of this goat breed is not in the Valencian Community as such, it is true that it is one of the most widely used goat breeds in this area is the Murcian Granada goat, which has even reached some popularity outside the European Union .
This dark-coated dairy breed is a hardy sheep that has a wide grazing capacity. It is a breed widely used for cheeses, and its wide production collides with its rusticity, which is the animal’s ability to withstand inclement weather, which makes it ideal for extensive livestock farming.
But if there is an indigenous breed of the Valencian Community with importance, it is the guirra sheep. This sheep is a meat breed that takes advantage of very poor pastures and, in fact, is capable of taking advantage of agricultural by-products such as vine leaves, olive and citrus branches or almond rind, which are some of the most characteristic products of the region. Valencian area.
Native breeds of the Valencian Community: cattle
Another of the autochthonous breeds of the Valencian Community of great importance is the Murcian-Levantine cow, a name that comes from its distribution, which is limited to Andalusia (Almería), Murcia and the Valencian Community (Alicante).
Most of the workforce of this cattle ranch are found in mountainous areas and in the Mediterranean climate. It is a chestnut breed with a calm temperament that can exceed 500 kilos in weight.
Native breeds of the Valencian Community: Murcian chato
This black pig is distributed by few nuclei of the south of the Valencian Community and Murcia. It is a breed in the recovery phase, as it was close to its disappearance in the mid-20th century due to the introduction of European breeds, and it is one of the breeds that has been studied to understand the domestication of the pig.
However, this pig breed has had enormous importance in this area of the peninsula as it constitutes one of the main sources of energy for the huertanos of the region, mainly because it fed on vegetable waste from the garden.
Again, the autochthonous breeds of the Valencian Community show us how interesting it is to know them to understand the development and history of the different regions of our country.
