Who has not had the opportunity to come across these bovids during a hike in the Albères massif?
At the initiative of the Sorède Pastoral Group and in the company of José, Frédéric, Philippe and Jean-Luc, we left early on a beautiful summer day to meet this living treasure of the Albères: the Massanese cow!
Nestled in our Albères mountains, Massanese cows, also called Albères cows, represent a unique faunal treasure.
Small in size, measuring between 1,10 and 1,25 meters at the withers, these cows are robust and perfectly adapted to the winter conditions of their natural habitat. However, they remain sensitive to summer heat.
A life in freedom
Small, agile in the mountains, rustic and resourceful, Ginette, Marguerite, Caramelle, Jeannine, Réglisse and the others are free as the air.
They live in complete autonomy in the territory of Sorède and Laroque-des-Albères, on the French-Spanish border.
Their semi-wild lifestyle allows them to feed themselves along the Mediterranean routes, under the supervision of 26 enthusiasts from the Sorède Pastoral Group. These volunteers and a shepherd, all owners of at least one cow, are working to gradually accustom the herd of 70 heads to human presence, a delicate but essential task.
In addition, they have set up strategic enclosures, making it possible to attract cattle to provide them with vaccinations and care in the event of minor injuries or to provide possible food supplement when natural resources are scarce.
Protection and preservation
These very hardy cows maintain pastures and undergrowth and thus help fight fires. Currently, there are around 250 individuals in France and 500 in Spain.
This breed of Catalan cow, recognized in Spain, is on the verge of extinction in the Pyrénées-Orientales. This is why, despite their small size and their limited meat production, these cows benefit from protective measures and monitoring.
The preservation of this breed is also supported by European initiatives, such as genetic studies and development programs under the "Carn de Bosc" brand. This brand aims to promote the unique breeding of these animals, certify the quality of the products, and ensure a sustainable future for the Albères cows, while also contributing to forest maintenance.
A living heritage
Meet the Massanese cows, it's diving into a living heritage of the Albères and discovering an endemic breed who continues to fascinate and inspire all those who cross his path.
Le Sorède Pastoral Group plays a crucial role in the preservation of this breed and in maintaining a harmonious balance between wild nature and human presence in the Albères.
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