RES-MAB: recovery of the Mantequera Leonesa cow breed

Colloquium: Recovery of the Leonese Butter Cow

During the colloquium held on November 26, 2024, the importance of the Mantequera Leonesa cow was discussed.

The Mantequera Leonesa cow is important because of its use in extensive grazing, as it fills the niche of large wild herbivores found in other territories. Livestock farming fulfills this function and need.

The goal of proper breeding is to achieve a finished product; seeking a model where the animals are finished in the same place where they are fattened and raised.

The project is based on defining a calf management model, with on-farm fattening, testing different fattening methods, and evaluating the results. The aim is to determine which management models are effective.

The following people participated in the colloquium:

• Antonio García Arias (Mayor of La Pola de Gordón)
• Beni Rodríguez Fernández (Manager of the Alto Bernesga Biosphere Reserve)
• Beatriz Salas Vegue (Alto Bernesga Biosphere Reserve – RES-MAB Project)
• Verónica del Río Diez (Alto Bernesga Biosphere Reserve – RES-MAB Project)
• Benedicto González Yagüe (Association for the Recovery of the Mantequera Leonesa Cow)
• Luis Fernando de la Fuente Crespo (University of León)
• Ángel Ruiz Mantecón (Mountain Livestock Institute – CSIC)

With information provided by Javier Mateo Oyagüe (University of León)

This colloquium is part of the RES-MAB Project, of which Alto Bernesga is a partner, and is funded by the PRIMA Foundation and the EU.