Retinta breed
Retinta breed is one of the three pure and native breeds of cattle in Spain. With a “hinged” morphology, it’s a breed well adapted to the environment in which it lives. It’s known for its robustness, strong horns and, above all, the reddish colour of its fur, which gives it its name.
The natural diet, together with the genetic characteristics of the Retinta itself, are the basis for the excellent quality of the meat it produces, with little fat.
Its origin is found in the Convex Red bovine ethnic stock (Bos taurus turdetanus), which arrived in prehistoric times to south-western Europe from the Middle East. Over time, it gave rise to several Spanish breeds, including the Retinta Andaluza.
Retinta has traditionally been reared extensively in its natural habitat, the dehesa. In fact, the province of Cádiz stands out at national level for having one of the most important extensive stockbreeding sectors in Spain. The dehesa is a natural environment of open Mediterranean woodland, and also a unique ecosystem in the world, where the animals that inhabit it contribute to its balance and play a decisive role in shaping the vegetation.
Precisely because of this uniqueness, and in order to spread the benefits of Retinto beef, as well as guaranteeing the quality and authenticity of the product, the National Association of Breeders of Retinto Select Breed Cattle (A.C.R.E.) was set up, and in 1993 the “Carne de Retinto” brand was created, authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Community Regulations.
