Minhota, or Galega, cattle are a Portuguese cattle breed. They are principally bred for beef; in the past it was used also as a draught beast and for milk. They originated in the former Minho province of northern Portugal.
In the past, they were widespread and numerous; in the middle years of the nineteenth century they numbered about 65 000 head, and constituted some 50% of all cattle in Minho. By 1940 their numbers had fallen to about 9500. In 1996 a breed society was formed: the Associação Portuguesa dos Criadores de Bovinos da Raça Minhota, and a herd-book established in 1997. In 2002 the name of the breed was changed to Minhota to distinguish them from the Spanish Rubia Gallega breed of Galicia immediately to the north.
In 2007, the conservation status of the breed was listed by the FAO as "not at risk". In 2016 their population was reported to be about 13 000 head, with 120 bulls and over 7000 breeding cows. In 2021 their status was reported to DAD-IS as "at risk". In 2016 they were distributed mainly in the former province of Entre-Douro-e-Minho, the modern districts of Viana do Castelo and Braga; their range extends into the districts of Porto and Vila Real, in the former provinces of Douro Litoral and Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro respectively.
Minhota cattle are genetically close to the Ramo Grande of the Azores, and may have contributed to the development of the Arouquesa, the Marinhoa of Portugal, and the Caracu of Brazil.
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About Minhota Cattle
