Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs

(2022/C 288/08)

This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.

SINGLE DOCUMENT

’Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina'

EU No: PDO-HR+SI-2655 – 19.1.2021

PDO (X) PGI ( )

1. Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’

2. Member State or Third Country

Republic of Croatia

Republic of Slovenia

3. Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1. Type of product

Class 1.1 Fresh meat (and offal)

3.2. Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ is a fresh meat that undergoes controlled maturation for at least 15 days. The meat is obtained from a native breed known as Istrian cattle (‘istarsko govedo / istrsko govedo’), which are born in the geographical area defined in point 4 and subject to a standard procedure for slaughter and processing of the carcass.

‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ is placed on the market as a fresh or frozen product.

‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ is a light pink to dark red colour, with a moderate intramuscular fat content (marbling), aromatic, with a pleasant odour, a full, characteristic taste of beef, tender and succulent, and suited as such for use in a variety of meat dishes.

Depending on their age and weight category, carcasses of the Istrian cattle breed must have the following characteristics:

— bull and heifer calves slaughtered at 8 to 12 months of age – their dressed half-carcasses weigh 100 kg to 250 kg; their meat is a light pink colour, tender, succulent, mildly aromatic, with moderate marbling; the subcutaneous fatty tissue is a white colour;

— heifers slaughtered at over 12 months of age – their dressed half-carcasses weigh 180 kg to 320 kg; their meat is a pink colour, tender, succulent, mildly aromatic, with moderate marbling; the subcutaneous fatty tissue is a white colour;

— young bulls (males slaughtered at 12 to 24 months of age) – their dressed half-carcasses weigh 200 kg to 400 kg; their meat is a pink to intense red colour, tender, succulent, mildly aromatic and marbled; the subcutaneous fatty tissue is white- to slightly yellow-coloured;

— cows (females slaughtered at over 24 months of age) – their dressed half-carcasses weigh more than 220 kg; their meat is a pink to purple-red colour, succulent, aromatic and marbled; the subcutaneous fatty tissue is a slight to intense yellow colour;

— bulls (males slaughtered at over 24 months of age) – their dressed half-carcasses weigh more than 280 kg; their meat is a pink to purple-red colour, succulent and aromatic; the subcutaneous fatty tissue is a slight to intense yellow colour;

— steer (castrated males slaughtered at over 24 months of age) – their dressed half-carcasses weigh more than 350 kg; their meat is a red to dark red colour, aromatic and marbled; the subcutaneous fatty tissue is an intense yellow colour.

Carcasses of the Istrian cattle breed are classified using the EUROP grid system. As regards conformation, the carcasses must belong to class E, U, R or O, and as regards degree of fat cover, to class 2, 3 or 4.

The pH value, as measured in the dorsal muscle (musculus longissimus dorsi) at the earliest 24 hours after slaughter and cooling of the half-carcass, must be less than or equal to 5,8.

3.3. Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

Calves for fattening are weaned at the earliest at 4 months of age. Before fattening begins, hay and pasture are gradually introduced into their feed, alongside milk.

The primary feed for cattle over 8 months of age is coarse fodder (pasture, hay), which should, in principle, be produced in the geographical area defined in point 4.

It is permitted to add concentrate feed (cereals) for a maximum of 20 % of the total daily ration (expressed as a share of the weight of dry matter contained in the concentrate feed). The concentrate feed may be procured outside the geographical area defined in point 4.

Where there is insufficient coarse fodder available due to bad weather, the cattle may feed on hay and haylage produced outside the defined geographical area, but only for a maximum of 15 % of the total annual amount of coarse fodder expressed in dry matter.

The total proportion of all fodder (coarse fodder, concentrate feed) produced outside the defined geographical area on which the cattle may feed during any given year may be up to 28 %, expressed in dry matter. Since it is sourced from outside the defined geographical area only in exceptional circumstances, the use of such fodder in such limited amounts does not have a major effect on the properties of the product described in point 3.2.

It is not permitted to use milk replacers or ready-made concentrate-feed mixes that contain food industry by-products when feeding the cattle. It is also forbidden to use silage in feeding.

The use of haylage grass and a clover/grass mixture in feeding is permitted for a maximum of 40 % of the daily ration expressed in dry matter.

3.4. Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All stages of production of ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina’ / ‘Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’, from calving, through slaughter of the cattle, primary processing and butchering, to the maturing of the meat, must take place within the geographical area referred to in point 4.

3.5. Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

After the maturing process is complete, ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ may be quick-frozen or placed on the market as a fresh product. The meat must be vacuum-packed before being frozen.

If the meat was matured in half- or quarter-carcasses, the carcasses must be butchered according to the standard cuts in the slaughter industry before being frozen or placed on the market.

The fresh meat may be placed on the market unpacked, vacuum-packed or in modified-atmosphere packaging. The frozen meat may be placed on the market vacuum-packed only.

3.6. Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

Where ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ is sold to the final consumer unpacked in a retail outlet, the inscription ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ and the common symbol of ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ (see illustration below) must be displayed clearly. The common symbol on the inscription must be no smaller than 7 x 7 cm.

Where ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ is placed on the market in packaged form, each packaging must contain the inscription ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ and the common symbol of ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina’ / ‘Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’. The inscription ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ must stand out more clearly than any other inscription by using larger lettering. The common symbol on the packaging must be no smaller than 2,5 x 2,5 cm.

In addition to the information laid down in the regulations in force on the labelling of beef, the packaging or inscription (in the case of unpacked meat) must also contain the date of slaughter, the category of cattle referred to in the specification and the inscription ‘Matured meat’.

Illustration of common symbol

There are two versions of the common symbol of ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina’ / ‘Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’, which correspond to the two versions (Croatian and Slovenian) of the product name.

The common symbol is generally used in the multi-coloured variant. If the multi-coloured variant of the common symbol is not possible, the single-colour variant may be used, in black or one of the primary colours that make up the multi-coloured symbol.

4. Concise definition of the geographical area

‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ is produced in the territory of the Istrian peninsula, the Kvarner archipelago, the Karst and Čičarija plateaus, and the Podgrad valley including the southern slopes of the Brkini hills.

In Croatia, production may take place in the territory of the following towns and municipalities: Buje, Buzet, Labin, Novigrad, Pazin, Poreč, Pula, Rovinj, Umag, Vodnjan, Bale, Barban, Brtonigla, Cerovlje, Fažana, Funtana, Gračišće, Grožnjan, Kanfanar, Karojba, Kaštelir-Labinci, Kršan, Lanišće, Ližnjan, Lupoglav, Marčana, Medulin, Motovun, Oprtalj, Pićan, Raša, Sveta Nedjelja, Sveti Lovreč, Sveti Petar u Šumi, Svetvinčenat, Tar-Vabriga, Tinjan, Višnjan, Vižinada, Vrsar, Žminj, Mošćenička Draga, Lovran, Opatija, Matulji and Kastav, Cres, Mali Lošinj, Krk, Baška, Dobrinj, Malinska-Dubašnica, Omišalj, Punat and Vrbnik.

In Slovenia, production may take place in the territory of the following municipalities: Piran, Izola, Koper, Ankaran, Hrpelje-Kozina, Ilirska Bistrica, Sežana, Komen and Divača.

5. Link with the geographical area

The diversity and complexity of the geological and geomorphological structure of the production area of ‘Meso istarskog goveda - boškarina’ / ‘Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ led to the development of a variety of soil types. The climate of the geographical area as a whole is Mediterranean, changing gradually inland and towards the north of the peninsula, where it becomes moderate continental. The variety of topography, soil and climate and the interaction between them have resulted in a rich and diverse vegetation cover. Dinaric, Alpine and Mediterranean flora are all found here, with evergreen forests of holm oak and scrub, and deciduous forests of downy oak, hornbeam and beech. Woodland covers a third of the land, while much of the area consists of pastureland and scrubland that are home to over 300 plant varieties.

To this day, the native breed of Istrian cattle originating from the geographical area is reared in the traditional way. In the past, the cattle were reared using a highly extensive farming system. Feeding was based on pasture, and to a lesser extent meadow hay, lucerne, wheat and barley straw, corn stalks and litter. Depending on the vegetation cover and climate conditions of the breeding area, the cattle were grazed for 6 to 9 months of the year, or in some places all year round. In many parts of the production area, especially those where karst predominates, there was meagre pastureland available, forcing the free-grazing cattle to venture beyond those pastures in search of food. In the summer months, when the pastureland was already dry, the cattle were driven into the woodland, where there was not enough pasture and they were mostly forced to graze on the leaves of trees such as holm oak, manna ash, acacia, mulberry, cornelian cherry, Oriental hornbeam, strawberry-tree, holly, myrtle and wild olive, or would resort to evergreen flora if need be. It was this very same farming and feeding method that led many owners to call their herd ‘Boškarin’ (after boška = woodland, high scrub), which is used as a synonym for the Istrian cattle breed.

The present-day method for farming Istrian cattle differs only slightly from the traditional method. Although Istrian cattle are no longer used as draught animals, they all have regular access to pastureland, scrubland and woodland, and are mostly fed the traditional way.

In the past, Istrian cattle were not systematically fattened for meat production. An exception was fattening for the needs of the army, as recalled in a document from 1631 that refers to cattle farming on the island of Unije. In the late 19th century, the meat of Istrian cattle was sold in the towns and cities, especially Pula and Trieste.

To preserve the genetic material and prevent the breed from becoming extinct, the late 1980s saw the launch of a campaign to revive the breeding of Istrian cattle, which has focused on exploiting the gastronomic value of the specific characteristics of ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ and its systematic promotion as a gourmet delicacy. Due to their lower total weight, slow natural growth and poorer yields, and the overall quality of their meat, Istrian cattle have very limited potential for beef production, and the breed is therefore farmed almost exclusively in the area described in point 4. Outside the geographical area, cattle are bred more intensively, which has a negative effect on the organoleptic characteristics of the meat, making it fattier and less aromatic.

The link between ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ and the production area dates far back, to a time when an archaic form of cattle considered to be the ancestor of Istrian cattle, Bos primigenius, was farmed on the Istrian peninsula. Genetic research indicates that Istrian cattle belong to a separate genetic group, which is reflected in the characteristic conformation of the carcass compared with other meat breeds. The carcass of Istrian cattle is characterised by a relatively strong chest and small hind legs. It has a moderate muscle and fat content, and the yield of certain age categories is lower than other European meat breeds of cattle. The characteristics of the carcass also directly affect those of the meat.

One specific characteristic of ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ is that it is tougher than the meat of other breeds, which is the result of the higher collagen content of the muscle tissue. The amount of collagen in the muscles is a hereditary factor, and there is more of it in Istrian cattle, as it was a draught breed that needed strength and developed muscle tissue that contained particularly sturdy collagen. Tough meat requires longer heat treatment, which breaks down the collagen and ultimately gives the meat its succulence and fullness of flavour. To reduce its toughness and strengthen and develop its specific aromas, the meat undergoes a process of maturation after slaughter, in which the collagen fibres are broken down and some of the amino acids are released.

One of the properties of ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’ is its lower degree of marbling, as a result of the moderate proportion of intramuscular fat, the moderate intensity of fattening and the low proportion of high-energy fodder in the ration. The intense yellow colour of the adipose tissue of the older cattle is the result of the fat composition, in other words the food eaten by the animal. Scientific studies have shown that the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids in the fatty acid composition of the meat lipids of Istrian cattle favours saturated fatty acids (approximately 60:40 %), which helps make the meat less prone to autoxidation when stored for a lengthy period. This property is particularly important for preserving the quality of the meat at the maturation stage. Subjecting the fresh meat of Istrian cattle to maturation stimulates proteolytic processes in the meat, which accentuate its organoleptic properties (softness, succulence, texture, odour, and the full aroma of the matured meat) and enhance its gastronomic potential.

The specific characteristics of Istrian cattle and of the meat they produce have been developed first and foremost by the cattle farmers of Istria, who, throughout history, have extensively farmed the breed and used it as draught animals. Thanks to centuries of selection, Istrian cattle have fully adapted to the climate and other ecological conditions in which they live, particularly the scarcity of food. Unlike highly productive commercial dairy or meat breeds, which need high-energy fodder, Istrian cattle can feed, in the absence of pastureland, by grazing on the shoots and leaves of numerous species of woody plants.

Since the relevant research to date has established a clear link between the botanical profile of the feed and the organoleptic and aromatic characteristics of the meat, it is fair to say that the geographical area has a significant, direct effect on the qualitative (nutritional and organoleptic) characteristics of ‘Meso istarskog goveda – boškarina / Meso istrskega goveda – boškarina’

Reference to publication of the specification

https://poljoprivreda.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/dokumenti/hrana/proizvodi_u_postupku_zastite-zoi-zozp-zts/Specifikacija_meso_istarskog_goveda_boskarin.pdf

https://www.gov.si/assets/ministrstva/MKGP/PODROCJA/HRANA/SHEME-KAKOVOSTI/SPECIFIKACIJE-EVROPSKA-KOMISIJA/Boskarin.pdf

(1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.