Extremadura Veal.
Protected Geographical Indication.
The Extremaduran breeds that graze on our *dehesas* (wooded pastures) and fall under the PGI (*Indicación Geográfica Protegida*) designation are the Retinta, Avileña-Negra Ibérica, Morucha, Blanca Cacereña, Berrenda en Negro, and Berrenda en Colorado, as well as their crosses with the Charolais and Limousin breeds.
The Blanca Cacereña breed nearly went extinct in the mid-1970s. This breed, along with crosses involving black-coated lineages, gave rise to the *Barroso Extremeño* breed variant.
The animals receive intensive care from birth. Calves suckle until they are five months old and spend the rest of their lives grazing on *dehesa* pastures. They receive dietary supplements only when pasture resources are depleted; this supplemental feed—consisting of straw, hay, cereals, legumes, and fibrous concentrates—is strictly monitored by the PGI Regulatory Council.
Another distinctive feature of animals raised under the “Dehesa de Extremadura” PGI is that they coexist with Merino sheep and Iberian pig herds, as well as with local wildlife. Once again, the *Dehesa* farming system proves to be the best ally in the relationship between humans and the ecosystem—particularly at a time when sustainability, respect for the environment, and environmental conservation are so widely recognized as essential.
The PGI certifies three types of animals for slaughter, categorized by age:
*Ternera* (Veal/Young Beef): Aged 7 to 12 months; characterized by bright pink meat and white fat. Their diet consists primarily of mother’s milk, though supplementation with pre-approved feed sources is permitted.
*Añojos* (Yearlings): Aged 12 to 16 months; characterized by meat ranging from light red to purple and white fat.
*Novillo* (Young Steer): Aged 16 to 36 months; characterized by cherry-red meat and yellowish fat. All of this—combined with strict controls ranging from the point of origin to product labeling and certification—enables *Ternera de Extremadura* (Extremadura Veal) PGI to live up to its motto: “from the *dehesa* to the table.”
