Livestock in the Basque Country (autonomous community)
Types of livestock
Types of livestock
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### Cattle

[thumbnail\|Pirenaica cows at pasture in the [comarca](/wiki/Comarca "Comarca") of [Baztán](/wiki/Baztan_%28comarca%29 "Baztan (comarca)") in [Navarre](/wiki/Navarre "Navarre")](/wiki/File:Raza_bovina_pirenaica_cropped.jpg "Raza bovina pirenaica cropped.jpg")
[Beef cattle](/wiki/Beef_cattle "Beef cattle") are the most popular livestock farmed in the Basque Country, being present in approximately 62% of all livestock farms of that region. Between 1999 and 2009, the average number of cattle present on each farm rose by about 88\.3%, making cattle the most rapidly increasing group of livestock during that time. One explanation for this increased attraction to beef cattle farming is that the production of beef meat easily involves other industries such as dairy and cereal, allowing for more economic opportunities and collaborations. Almost a quarter of livestock gross production is beef meat. Some common breeds of cattle in the Basque Country include [:Betizu](/wiki/Betizu "Betizu"), [:Monchina](/wiki/Monchina "Monchina"), [:Pirenaica](/wiki/Pirenaica "Pirenaica"), and [:Terreña](/wiki/Terre%C3%B1a "Terreña"). However, the breed that is used most often in the meat industry is Pirenaica.Gómez, M., and I. Amezaga. [“Conservation of livestock genetic resources in Euskadi (Basque Country)”](http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y4924t/y4924t09.htm), FAO Corporate Document Repository Of all of the breeds used in meat production in this region, this is the only breed that is completely native to the Basque Country.

[Dairy cattle](/wiki/Dairy_cattle "Dairy cattle") are present in 17% of Basque farms. These animals are the only type of livestock in the Basque Country that must be raised in separate, specialized farms, as opposed to the mixed farms mentioned above.

As of 2006, there are 15 provincial [Farmers' Associations](/wiki/Farmers%27_Association "Farmers' Association") in the Basque Country, each specializing in a specific breed of cattle. These associations are held accountable for collecting and processing data about the cattle. The Association of Pirenaica is outstanding amongst these groups due to its high number of cattle, experience, and genetic advancement of the livestock.

### Sheep

[thumb\|left\|Carranzana sheep. Rams are horned and the ewes may be either horned or polled (hornless).](/wiki/File:Ovejas_Pirineos_atlanticos_-_Berbis_Pyr%C3%A9n%C3%A9es_%289103330121%29.jpg "Ovejas Pirineos atlanticos - Berbis Pyrénées (9103330121).jpg")
[thumb\|right\|Latxa sheep can be both blonde and dark\-faced](/wiki/File:Martak2.JPG "Martak2.JPG")
Common [sheep](/wiki/Sheep "Sheep") breeds in this region include [:Carranzana](/wiki/Carranzana "Carranzana"), [:Latxa](/wiki/Latxa "Latxa"), and [Sasi ardi](/wiki/Sasi_ardi "Sasi ardi"). The Carranzana and Laxta sheep are most renowned for their role in the dairy industry. The vast majority of the milk obtained from these sheep is made into [:cheese](/wiki/Cheese "Cheese"); the farms themselves turn approximately 47% of it into cheese, while a slightly smaller percentage is made into cheese by dairy factories who buy the milk from the farms. The rest of the milk is kept in its original form for sale. Carranzana and Laxta sheep play an insignificant role in the [wool industry](/wiki/Wool%23Production "Wool#Production"). Dairy sheep make up a crucial part of Basque economy in certain regions where there is a lack of other prominent industries.Elgarresta, M. et al. [“Environmental and economic aspects of the dairy sheep system in the Basque Country”](http://om.ciheam.org/article.php?IDPDF=2600036), CIHEAM Options Méditerranéennes, Zaragosa, 2002

### Goats

[thumb\|right\|Azpi Gorri goats](/wiki/File:Azpigorriak_7.JPG "Azpigorriak 7.JPG")
The [Azpi Gorri](/wiki/Basque_breeds_and_cultivars%23Azpi_Gorri "Basque breeds and cultivars#Azpi Gorri") [goats](/wiki/Goat "Goat") are predominant in the Basque Country and are native to the [Pyrenees](/wiki/Pyrenees "Pyrenees"). They are raised primarily for the meat and dairy industries. They graze year\-round in rocky mountain territories. The business of goat meat production is notably successful in villages where it is customary to serve young goats as the center of a feast during celebrations of special occasions. In the 1980s through the 1990s, Basque administration created a plan to eliminate all types of goats in that region for reasons of [sanitation](/wiki/Sanitation "Sanitation") and [nature preservation](/wiki/Nature_reserve "Nature reserve"); this caused the number of Azpi gorri to decline during that time. Since then, the economic potential of their products has been realized and conservation efforts were put into effect. Despite these efforts, their numbers are still critically low to the point of near extinction.Gorostiza Garay, Pedro José. “La Cabra Azpi Gorri”, “BIBLID”, 2002, Vol. 14

### Horses and other equines

Notable equine wildlife include [donkeys](/wiki/Donkey "Donkey"), [horses](/wiki/Horse "Horse"), and [ponies](/wiki/Pony "Pony"). The [asno de las Encartaciones](/wiki/Asno_de_las_Encartaciones "Asno de las Encartaciones"), or the donkey of the Enkarterri territory of the province of Vizcaya, has been widely used in farm labor and is almost extinct. The [Caballo de monte del País Vasco](/wiki/Basque_Mountain_Horse "Basque Mountain Horse"), or the mountain horse of the Basque Country, is used for its meat as well as for transportation. Thirdly, the [:Pottoka](/wiki/Pottoka "Pottoka"), a native Basque breed of pony, is known for being the subject of [cave paintings](/wiki/Cave_paintings "Cave paintings") found in the area from over 30,000 years ago.

| [thumb\|Basque mountain horse mare and foal](/wiki/File:Arraba_002_zaldiak.jpg "Arraba 002 zaldiak.jpg") | [thumb\|An "Asno de las Encartaciones"](/wiki/File:Enkarterrietako_astoa_%28cropped%29.jpg "Enkarterrietako astoa (cropped).jpg") | [thumb\|Pottoks with winter coat](/wiki/File:Pottokak_Munaindin.jpg "Pottokak Munaindin.jpg") |


What types of animals are raised in the Basque Country?