Cattle raising

Imagine that you are a city journalist (even if it is a small one). A journalist who is more comfortable looking at the reactions to the latest American election debate on his mobile phone than going out for mushrooms in the countryside. Someone who is allergic to animals that do not scare him and disgusted by those that do not. And now imagine that for some strange reason (work is usually the most mundane of reasons for this type of misadventure) you end up at a livestock fair like the one that took place this weekend in Soria. Well, in this hypothetical situation, which is not at all self-referential, these would be some of the things you could learn.

1. The Covid of cows

Listening to the conversations of the locals, you will soon discover that this year’s theme is ‘the mosquito’. A mosquito that spreads a disease (EHE or epizootic hemorrhagic disease) which affects animals and which, according to reports, was already around last year, but this year it has brought bitterness to the farmers.. “So you understand, it’s like Covid for cows”says one of the youngest and toughest cattlemen who exhibit in the Soria bullring. It is similar to Covid, he will learn, because it affects each specimen differently. Some are asymptomatic, others suffer blindness, the light bothers them, they get ulcers on their tongue, they lose their appetite and/or have trouble breathing. Quite a few specimens die. It is also similar to Covid in that, once the animal has passed it, it becomes immune and that they are working with a vaccine that is not fully tested. The good part is that The disease is not transmitted from one animal to another, nor is it contagious to humans. and that, in no way, reaches the human food chain.

2. Cows in Soria

With all this in mind, the urban writer probably has little desire to continue wandering among the animals, but his journalistic fang tells him that perhaps he can learn something more. Before getting into the arduous, and clearly impractical for his life, task of distinguishing between a Limousin and one Charolais (yes, you know that the serranas are the black ones) needs some context. Virtually all cattle farms in the province are dedicated to meat. and this can end up both in local butcher shops and in the national distribution system of large chains. In this sense, the sector is clear that it would be necessary to recover a slaughterhouse in the capital (There is currently only one in Vinuesa) so that the transformation, the added value and the employment that it generates could remain in Soria. The most common cows in the province are the Limousin and their different crosses. It is also learned that, although they are few, the two bovine farms dedicated to milk are essential to maintain the Denomination of Origin of Soria Butter.

3. But what about a cow?

At this point the reporter begins to feel a certain genuine interest in the cattle, especially in two specimens. The first one is a bull and if you guess its weight you get a ham.. 544 bets convinced and the result (546) leaves him quite frustrated and hungry. For this reason he buys tickets for the raffle for a Fleckieh calf or the €1,200 that is its equivalent in priceAlthough he has only bought 5 tickets, and at this fair the smallest legal tender note seems to be the €50 one, he feels the need to know more about the cows in case he wins to take Lola (yes, he has already named her) home. By the way, the winning ticket is 0887. How long does a cow live? The question is asked. The answer is pragmatic and at first shocking: “If it doesn’t have any disease or strange things, as long as it is productive for the farmer.” Goodbye. Productivity, in these cases, can go beyond meat by bringing new heads to the farm. A cow lives among 15 and 17 years old. From 2.5 or 3 years of age, they can begin to reproduce. Pregnancy lasts 9 months, as in humans, and farmers usually ‘activate’ their reproductive cycle once every 12 months. If a single cow can easily give birth to about 15 calves throughout her life, It is good to know what they will eat. Grass is the basis of their diet, although with soybean feed, flour and cereals they will try to enhance some of their most productive qualities (basically fattening and milk). In the end, they confess, a cow can eat almost anything, like orange peels. This information will undoubtedly change the editor’s life.

4. Churras and merinas

But as a cattle fair is not just about cows, the penman goes through the stables where there are also horses, goats and sheep. The time has come to learn and never again mix apples with oranges. A native of Tierras Altas, who looks strange when asked this question, explains it with cutting conciseness: “One for the lamb and the other for the shelter.” Namely, the churra sheep It is typical of Castile, a strong sheep with great flavor in its meat and milk. Merino sheeporiginally from the south of Spain, have a softer and finer coat, ideal for shearing and making wool from it. These are the ones that did the transhumance. Visually, and to make it simple, the meninas are more ‘fluffy’ and their fur covers part of their head. The churras are more slender and coarse, they have black spots and a clear forehead. So, although at first glance they might seem the same (sheep!) mixing them would be a rookie mistake (ahem) because we would be left without the best wool and without the tastiest cheeses and meat.