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 2023/C 130/08
Date: 2023-04-14
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Extremadura, Spain, beef, consumer information, designation of origin, fresh meat, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_2023130EN.01002001.xml










14.4.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 130/20






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
(2023/C 130/08)
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

’VACA DE EXTREMADURA'


EU No: PGI-ES-02619— 14.7.2020


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name [PGI]

’Vaca de Extremadura'
2.   Member State or Third Country

Spain
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


Fresh meat and offal from ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows, sold as carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters, pieces, fillets and cuts.
The meat is obtained from the main cattle breeds present in Extremadura. These comprise the native breeds Avileña-Negra Ibérica, Retinta, Morucha, Blanca Cacereña, Berrenda en Negro and Berrenda en Colorado, either pure-bred or crossed with one another, as well as the breeds included in the Official Catalogue of Livestock Breeds in Spain under the ‘settled’ category, namely Charolais, Limousin and Blonde d’Aquitaine, and crosses with those breeds.
In terms of age and the production method prior to slaughter, only one type of animal is used:
‘Vaca’ [cow]: female which, at the time of slaughter, is at least 48 months old and has reached reproductive age.
The product’s main characteristics, in terms of its organoleptic qualities, conformation, fat cover and pH, combine to form the following commercial category:
‘Vaca de Extremadura’: the meat is cherry red to purple-red in colour, with creamy white to yellowish fat. It is firm to the touch and slightly moist, with a fine texture and a greater level of intramuscular fat (fine streaks and marbling). It has the aroma of animal fat, is succulent in the mouth and has a deep and long-lasting meaty flavour of beef.






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Carcass conformation: classes E, U, R and O.










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Degree of fat cover: degrees 4, 3 and 2.










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pH: compliance with the current legislation applicable to quality meats.




The meat must be sold chilled, and must not be frozen at any point during the production or marketing process.
3.3.   
Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)


Throughout their productive lives, the cows are fed based on an extensive farming system involving the consumption of grazing fodder making up at least 30 % of the feed (grass, cereals and legumes) and the use of other farm resources such as the dehesa (wooded pastures) and dehesa-style landscapes. If necessary, this may be supplemented with compound feeds and preserved fodder (straw, hay and, in exceptional cases, grain stores).
Given that the condition of the meat on the animals and the degree of fat cover on the carcasses have a positive influence on the quality of the protected ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ meat, a finishing period is recommended before slaughter to complete the fattening process, determined by the time of year.
At least 60 % of the fodder used must come from the geographical area of the PGI.
The use of products made from animal derivatives is expressly prohibited. The compound feeds used must be included in the list of feeds authorised by the Regulatory Board in compliance with the specifications on feed.
3.4.   
Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area


The birth, rearing, fattening and slaughter of ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows must take place in the defined geographical area in order to preserve the specific nature of the product and to control production conditions and traceability.
3.5.   
Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to


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


The cuts must be marketed bearing the identifying label issued by the Regulatory Board.
In addition to the labels applied to the product, each half-carcass, quarter and/or primal cut is accompanied by a certificate providing information on the farm of origin, the identification and typology of the animal, the age and date of slaughter, the slaughterhouse and the classification.
As well as the compulsory indications, the labels must also bear the following: identification and logo of the ‘VACA DE EXTREMADURA’ PGI and traceability data.

Logo of the ‘VACA DE EXTREMADURA’ PGI






4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area to which the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ applies is the entirety of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura.
5.   Link with the geographical area

The ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI is based on the specific characteristics of the meat and its geographical origin.
5.1.   
Specific characteristics of the geographical area


Extremadura is located in south-west Spain, on the Iberian Peninsula, and has an area of 41 635 km2, of which approximately 14 300 km2 are dehesas and dehesa-style landscapes.
The fauna of domestic animal species found in Extremadura largely comprises native breeds, which are connected and closely linked to the most typical environment of the region (the ‘dehesa’). Due to their sturdiness and high capacity for adaptation to difficult environments, these species all contribute to maintaining and improving the ecosystem, fertilising the soil, improving the quality of pastures and slowing the advance of scrubland.
Rainfall is spread very unevenly throughout the year, with the highest frequency in the autumn and spring and considerable variability from year to year.
The dehesa climate is characterised by a dry period which marks the early drying-out of the pastureland.
The extreme temperature and rain conditions mean that the breeds included in the ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI have adjusted in the best possible manner since they are capable of resisting both the cold and the heat, and the scarcity of water in periods of drought.
The priority ecosystem for ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI cattle farms are dehesas and dehesa-style landscapes.
The dehesa is one of the defining systems of the ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI in extensive livestock farming in Extremadura, and is characterised by grazing over large areas of land. Livestock farming in these areas is perfectly adapted to the environment due to the hardiness of the breeds being farmed. The harsh climate and poor, low-quality soils have limited the establishment of agriculture, with livestock farming largely taking its place.
This entire ecosystem has a positive influence on the characteristics of the product.
5.2.   
Specificity of the product


The meat from ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows is notable for its cherry red to purple-red colour, and its smooth and marbled streaking, with creamy white to yellowish fat that has a firm texture and is firm to the touch. It is also notable for its aroma of animal fat, its juiciness in the mouth and its deep and long-lasting meaty flavour characteristic of beef.
The colour of ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ is owed to the fact that the meat has a higher concentration of myoglobin. This is due to a range of factors, including the farming system, which involves greater levels of physical activity in the search for food. The combination of these factors has an impact on the desirable and distinguishing aspects of the meat, such as the creamy to yellowish white colour of its fat due to the accumulation of carotenes and other pigments, and a texture which is firm but has a marked succulence resulting from the higher levels of intramuscular fat. The fat content is evenly distributed, in the form of marbled or intramuscular fat, giving ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ meat distinctive characteristics on both a nutritional and a sensory level.
5.3.   
Causal link between the geographical area and a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristic of the product


The quality of the product covered by the ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ PGI is derived from the extensive farming system on the dehesa and dehesa-style landscapes. This allows for high levels of animal welfare, as the level of stress involved in production is much lower and suckling periods are routinely observed, which confers unique characteristics on the product and is greatly appreciated by the end consumer on both a national and European scale.
There is a wide variety of extensively farmed cattle breeds in the geographical area due to its varied terrain and the influence of migratory herding from neighbouring regions. These breeds are fully adapted to the extreme climate conditions, and have evolved and adapted to improve their meat performance, thereby rivalling the meat of any other origin. This has served to support and anchor rural populations, bringing economic value to poor farming communities and providing economic and social benefits.
The production systems and livestock farming practices must support environmental protection, animal welfare and good health and hygiene conditions in accordance with the extensive farming tradition in Extremadura and the legislation in force.
The animal production systems for ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ exhibit unique characteristics compared with other Spanish livestock breeding areas, and even more so compared with other EU Member States. These differences largely stem from the fact that extensive livestock systems are of great importance in Extremadura, as they take up a large surface area and allow livestock production to be combined with environmental conservation.
These factors are made clear in numerous studies by the Department of Food Technology of the Cáceres Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Similarly, the combination of the older age at slaughter and the farming system encourages the accumulation of natural antioxidants from the cows’ diet (tocopherols and carotenes), which give the meat a more stable red colour during the ageing and storage process following slaughter.
As regards the fat content and its arrangement and composition, the meat of ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ has clear distinguishing characteristics. The combination of the farming system and the older age at slaughter encourages a higher fat content with a uniform distribution, preferably in the form of marbled or intramuscular fat. The animals’ diet results in distinguishing changes in the composition and characteristics of the fat due to the incorporation and accumulation of compounds. The most noteworthy examples of its impact on the nutritional and sensory characteristics of the meat are the higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated fatty acids, carotenoids, tocopherols and other compounds in the unsaponifiable fraction of the fat, such as neophytadiene or gamma-tocopherol, which may be indicative of the type of feed and farming systems specific to ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows fed under extensive farming conditions. The combination of these factors has an impact on the desirable and distinguishing aspects of the meat, such as the creamy to yellowish white colour of its fat due to the accumulation of carotenes and other pigments, and a texture which is firm but has a marked succulence resulting from the higher levels of intramuscular fat.
Specifically, the presence of compounds with antioxidant properties in the fat of ‘Vaca de Extremadura’ cows fed under extensive farming conditions alter the aromatic and taste characteristics of the meat. Thus, in addition to acting as possible precursors of compounds with pleasant and distinguishing aromatic characteristics, during ageing and cooking, these compounds deriving from the cows’ diet alter the oxidation reactions, preventing abnormal aromas resulting from undesirable lipid oxidation processes and, during cooking, favouring an intense aroma and taste which is characteristic of the extensively farmed ‘Vaca de Extremadura’.
In Extremadura, the cattle population of the province of Cáceres represents 13,9 % of the national population, whereas in the province of Badajoz this figure is 8,1 %.
Ploughing teams were a common sight in Extremadura at the beginning of the 13th century. Cattle were excellent draught animals, and were only slaughtered for their meat when they were no longer able to work. There were also animals bred solely for meat, which were slaughtered at their highest body weight.
In Extremadura, the vast majority of ploughing teams were made up of cows, which meant they provided a triple economic advantage: draught, calf-rearing and finally their meat.
We also find references in gastronomy linking the beef to Extremaduran cuisine in numerous recipes, such as lengua estofada con gurumelos [stewed tongue with gurumelo mushrooms] (a typical recipe from Fregenal de la Sierra), riñones de vaca extremeña con setas [Extremaduran beef kidneys with mushrooms], callos de vaca extremeña en salsa blanca [Extremaduran beef tripe in white sauce], sesos de vaca extremeña con tocino [Extremaduran beef brains with bacon], and cocido alentejano con carne de vaca extremeña [Alentejo stew with Extremaduran beef] (a typical recipe from Cheles). (Recetario de cocina extremeña. Estudio de sus orígenes [Recipe book of Extremaduran cuisine: a study of its origins], Cofradía Extremeña de Gastronomía, Universitas Editorial, 1985).
Luján and Perucho refer to Extremaduran cuisine as earnest, serious and austere ... thanks to its great dishes with links to sheep herding, rural life and hunting, such as beef shank and Extremaduran beef marrow ... (El libro de la cocina española. Gastronomía e historia [The book of Spanish cuisine. Gastronomy and history], Néstor Luján and Juan Perucho, Danae, 1972).

Chuletas de vaca a la extremeña [Extremadura-style beef chops] (Gran Enciclopedia de la Cocina [Grand Encyclopaedia of Cuisine], ABC, 1994, Ediciones Nobel S.A., Madrid), or Entrecot al modo de Cáceres [Cáceres-style entrecôte] (Cocina Extremeña [Extremaduran Cuisine]. Teclo Villalón and Pedro Plasencia, 1999, Editorial Everest). Lomo de vaca extremeña con sal de Añana [Extremaduran beef loin with Añana salt] (La cocina de Gibello [Gibello’s kitchen], website)
Recetarios Manuscritos: cocina y alimentación en la baja Extremadura (1860-1960): estudios y recetas [Handwritten recipe books: food and cooking in Lower Extremadura (1860-1960): studies and recipes], Andrés Oyola Fabian.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://www.juntaex.es/documents/77055/621148/Solicitud+IGP+Vaca+de+Extremadura.+Pliego+condiciones.pdf/06c3c70b-c0b4-27f9-4df3-795006e415af?t=1666696153740


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.