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 316/09
Date: 2023-09-06
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Extremadura, Spain, consumer information, designation of origin, fresh meat, goatmeat, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products, refrigerated product




C_2023316EN.01001401.xml










6.9.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 316/14







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 316/09)

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

                  ‘
                  CABRITO DE EXTREMADURA
                  ’
               

EU No: PGI-ES-02796 — 13.8.2021
                  


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’ Cabrito 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 goat kid meat and offal, sold as carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters, pieces, fillets and cuts.
This meat is taken from the carcasses of verified goat kids or cuts thereof, male or female, born and reared in the territory of the Autonomous Community of Extremadura and belonging to the Verata, Retinta, Florida, Malagueña, Murciano-Granadina, Blanca Andaluza, Cabra de las Mesetas, Cabra Serrana or Payoya goat breeds, or crosses thereof.
Depending on age, feed and production system before slaughter, a distinction is made between two types of animals, resulting in the two commercial categories for the same ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ PGI:






a)


‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ [Extremaduran goat kid], suckling kid category: kids born from dams reared under an extensive or semi-extensive system and fed exclusively on their mothers’ milk.
Carcasses in this category are required to have the following characteristics:






—


Weight of kid carcass, maximum 6 kg not including the head or offal; if the head and offal are included, the weight of the carcass will be 1 kg heavier.










—


Age at slaughter less than 50 days.










—


Carcass classification: Category 1 established by the European Union.










—


Carcass presentation format: Carcass with head and offal, carcass without head and offal, half-carcass or noble cuts.










—


Characteristics of the meat: Very tender, soft, extremely succulent meat with a very soft texture.










—


Meat colour: from pink to pale pink.










—


Fat cover on carcass: classes 3-4.










—


Type of fat: pearly white to off-white in colour.














b)


‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ [Extremaduran goat kid]: kids born from dams reared under an extensive or semi-extensive system, fed on their mothers’ milk, which may be supplemented with concentrates consisting mainly of cereals and legumes until they are weaned; animals intended for slaughter are then finished on the basis of concentrates consisting mainly of cereals, legumes, protein crops and fodder.
Carcasses in this category are required to have the following characteristics:






—


weight of kid carcass, maximum 9 kg not including the head and offal; if the head and offal are included, the weight of the carcass will be 1,5 kg heavier.










—


Age at slaughter 90 days.










—


Carcass classification: Category 1 established by the European Union.










—


Carcass presentation format: Carcass with head and offal, carcass without head and offal, half-carcass or noble cuts.










—


Characteristics of the meat: Very tender, soft, extremely succulent meat with a very soft texture.










—


Meat colour: pink to reddish, depending on the degree of fat cover.










—


Fat cover on carcass: classes 3-4.










—


Type of fat: between white and yellowish.








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)

Breeding practices must be in keeping with the techniques and customs and with how natural resources are managed in the traditional extensive or semi-extensive system in the area. The dams’ diet must be based on grazing the natural resources of woodland and dehesa (wooded pasture) areas, supplemented when necessary with straw, grain, fodder, by-products and concentrates, mostly consisting of cereals, legumes, oilseeds and protein crops. The duration and quantity of the dietary supplement will depend on the resources available and the animals’ needs at the time.

                  ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ in the ‘lechal’ [suckling kid] category must be fed exclusively on their mothers’ milk up to the age of 50 days. In the case of the ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ category, milk substitutes can account for up to 50 % of their diet until weaning and from the age of three weeks onwards they can be supplemented with starter feeds. After weaning, they must remain stabled and supervised either in facilities on the holding itself or at collection centres entered on the relevant Register. Their diet must be based on cereal straw and concentrates mainly consisting of cereals, legumes, oilseeds and protein crops.
As well as helping to maintain ecosystems and prevent the spread of fires, this traditional production system also gives the meat from these kids specific characteristics in terms of tenderness, colour and succulence, mainly due to the way the animals are handled, the length of time they remain with the dams and the diet on which they are fed. The kids are initially fed on their mothers’ milk. Given the breeds, diet and way in which they are handled, this milk has special characteristics that differ from that which is produced in geographical areas outside Extremadura. The composition is such that the differences are passed on to the meat of kids fed on this milk. The goat kids move around during this period they spend with their mothers, which leads to higher levels of myoglobin in muscle.
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

The goat kids must be born, reared, fattened and slaughtered and the carcasses must be dressed in the Extremadura region, in order to preserve the specificity of the product and ensure its quality, guarantee the well-being of the animals as regards time spent in transportation, monitor the conditions in which the product is obtained and guarantee its traceability.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

Cutting must take place in cutting plants entered in the appropriate register kept by the Regulatory Board.
The cuts of meat may be filleted and packaged in meat processing plants registered with the Regulatory Board or in specific establishments at the final points of sale that have previously signed a collaboration agreement with the Regulatory Board covering the control, labelling and marketing of the protected meat. They may also be cut and filleted at retail premises where the transaction is carried out with the consumer at the same time of sale.
The meat must not be filleted at the same time as meats not covered by the PGI.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The cuts shall be placed on the market under the operator’s trade mark and the certification mark, the certified operator being ultimately responsible for their proper use.
The label featuring the wording and logo for the ‘CABRITO DE EXTREMADURA’ PGI in the LECHAL (suckling kid) category shall be affixed to the carcass, half-carcass, quarter-carcass and/or cuts of kids meeting the requirements set out in section 3.2.a).
The label featuring the wording and logo for the ‘CABRITO DE EXTREMADURA’ PGI shall be affixed to the carcass, half-carcass, quarter-carcass and/ or cuts of kids meeting the requirements set out in section 3.2.b).
As well as the compulsory indications, the labels must also bear the following: identification and logo of the ‘CABRITO DE EXTREMADURA’ PGI and traceability data.
There are two versions of the logo. Each one shall only be used for one commercial category.

Logo for the
                  ‘
                  Cabrito de Extremadura
                  ’
                  lechal (suckling kid) commercial category







Logo for the ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ commercial category






4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

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

The causal link is based on the product’s reputation, but is also supported by its specific characteristics.

Specificity of the geographical area

a)   Natural factors
Extremadura has a Mediterranean semi-arid climate, with annual rainfall ranging between 450 and 850 mm, an average annual temperature of between 16 oC and 17 oC and over 3 000 hours of sunshine a year. Winters tend to be cold and summers hot. Rainfall varies significantly from one year to the next in terms of quantity and distribution pattern; more plentiful in winter and early spring, with no rain at all in summer.
The geography, topography and climate conditions in the Extremadura region have resulted in the development of dehesa ecosystems and Mediterranean scrub or woodland. These ecosystems have Mediterranean xerophyte vegetation, consisting mostly of rockroses, mastic trees, heather, broom, topped lavender and thyme in scrub and woodland areas. Meanwhile, the dehesa areas feature holm oak, cork oak, oak, chestnut and wild olive trees, as well as herbaceous plants and pastures consisting of grasses, legumes and crucifers.
b)   Historical factors
Goat kids have been reared and their meat processed, sold and cooked in the Extremadura region since ancient times. The presence of goats and goat kids in Extremadura is mentioned in countless documentary sources such as the municipal archives, ordinances and charters from towns all over the Extremadura region from the Middle Ages up to the past century, as well as in the records of the Real Audiencia de Extremadura [Appellate Court of Extremadura]. ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ is also mentioned in literary sources, including various works and cookery books as notable as Ruperto Nola’s Libro de Cozina and other major literary works such as the world-renowned El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes. Historical cookery books such as the one by José Vicente Serradilla Muñoz (1997) entitled La mesa del emperador. Recetario de Carlos V en Yuste [The Emperor’s Table. Carlos V’s Recipe Book in Yuste] mention various recipes featuring ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ as a delicacy at such a distinguished table.
As regards the significance of goats as livestock in Extremadura, mention should also be made of the important census that the region has kept down through history. Records show that in the year 1888 the province of Cáceres was the foremost Spanish province in terms of goat livestock, with Badajoz the second.
Extremaduran kid meat also featured in many of the municipal charters and archives throughout the region as early as the Middle Ages, with rules on how it should be presented and cut and the obligation for it to be weighed.
c)   Human factors
For generations and based on their experience and specific know-how, farmers raising ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ goats have traditionally put them to graze all day long. They have a perfect knowledge of the resources and flora available at every time of year, which are different to those available in other areas and exclusive to the Extremadura region. The same farmers feed the kids on the holdings until they acquire the weight and characteristics that are specific to ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’.
All of these factors have a clear bearing on the fact that the carcasses of the kids have the specific characteristics attributed to this product, which differ from those of other goat kids from other areas.
As for the importance of goat kid in the livestock farming culture, traditions and places in Extremadura, we would highlight the zoomorphic sculptures dating from prehistoric times (Plasencia, 12th century), geographical references (Cueva de los Cabritos [Goat Kid Cave]) in Cáceres, festivals awarded the status of being of Regional Interest to Tourism (Las Carontoñas), as well as the folklore and proverbs based on the know-how and traditions of the goat herders.

                     ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ meat is a constant throughout the history of Extremaduran gastronomy. For example, the book Recetarios Manuscritos: Cocina y Alimentación en la Baja Extremadura (1860-1960) [Handwritten Recipes: Cooking and Food in Lower Extremadura (1860-1960)] by Andrés Oyala Fabián includes a reference to the Recetario de Alba Casquete [Recipe Book of Alba Casquete] from 1855, explaining how to prepare kid meat in Lower Extremadura. The recipe for Frite Extremeño de Cabrito [Fried Extremaduran Kid] is also included in many cookery books, such as Gastronomía Extremeña [Gastronomy of Extremadura] Cáceres 1955. The Libro de la Cocina Española [Book of Spanish Cuisine] (1970) by Néstor Luján and Juan Perucho highlights ‘
                     la pata de cabrito al estilo de Badajoz [goat kid leg, Badajoz style]’.

Specific characteristics of the product

The specificity of ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ compared to other kid meats is determined by the tradition and history of this product down through the centuries in the Extremadura region, as well as by the characteristics of the meat already described, i.e. the colour of the meat and fat, supreme tenderness, moderate intramuscular fat infiltration and pleasant texture.
The book Las carnes de Extremadura; OVINO Y CAPRINO [The Meat of Extremadura: SHEEP AND GOAT], by José Ma Gómez-Nieves and Ángel Robina (2005) published by Ed. Junta de Extremadura, explains that for ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’, the quality of kid meat is affected by the factors of age and weight at time of slaughter. The feeding system is also a factor in differentiating the quality of kid meat. The typical feeding regime for the ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ goat kids means that they feed on their mothers’ milk in the first weeks of their lives. In the case of the ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’
                  lechal (suckling kid) commercial category, the kids are fed solely on their mothers’ milk, whereas in the ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ category, concentrates are added from weaning onwards. This leads to significant differences in the parameters of the quality meat produced, as due to their young age at slaughter, their light weight and their diet, the fatty deposits on the carcass, collagen content and colouring are all very low, resulting in meat that is very tender and juicy, with low fat content and pale colouring.

Causal link between the geographical area and a specific quality, the reputation or other characteristics of the product

The geographical area is delimited by the districts and municipalities which, as well as having the requisite goat stocks, have a historical goat-farming tradition in which the traditional farming systems and practices are employed. Its physical and geographical characteristics correspond to those of dehesa and scrubland suitable for extensive grazing and located in regional territories in Extremadura, with specific particularities that differentiate it from other geographical areas, such as: the geophysical and soil base, native flora and fauna, pastoral products, rainfall, hours of sunshine and climate. The diet and the specific way that these animals are reared (age at slaughter, etc.) by the goat herders of Extremadura are what gives ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ the described characteristics and what sets it apart from the meat produced in other areas.
All of these factors have a clear bearing on the fact that the carcasses of the kids have the specific characteristics attributed to this product.
The excellent reputation enjoyed by ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ is proven in a multitude of documents and historical archives dating from the Early Middle Ages in the Extremadura region. This is why the traditional way in which this livestock is farmed means that the natural, historical and human factors are decisive in the specific nature of this meat.
There are also countless references in recent times to ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ in different contexts. The menus of many restaurants include dishes featuring ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ either roasted, chargrilled or oven-baked, as well as the traditional ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’
                  caldereta (stew). ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ is also regularly mentioned in cookery blogs and websites, such as the following: Recetas, Patrimonio inmaterial de Extremadura, Estoy hecho un ‘cocinillas’, Gastrotravel, Hogarmanía, Canal Extremadura, Sabor a Extremadura, Solo Recetas, etc. ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ is often mentioned in the printed press, such as the newspapers Hoy Agro and El Periódico de Extremadura, on the radio and on television (Canal Extremadura, etc.). Its reputation is such that there are many themed festivals celebrating this product, such as those of Santibañez el Alto and Torrecilla de los Ángeles. ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ also features in gastronomical events alongside other meats, such as the Salón de la Carne de Calidad [Quality Meat Exhibition] at the Feria Agroganadera [Agricultural and Livestock Fair] in Trujillo and at the Feria Internacional Ganadera [International Livestock Fair] in Zafra, where there were tastings of Verata breed ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’. The 6th edition of the very popular national TV programme Master Chef Celebrity included a ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ stew. ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’ was the winner at the II Culinary Competition for Cooperative Products of Extremadura in 2013.
Therefore, the combination of the long-standing goat-farming tradition in the geographical area since time immemorial with the inclusion of this meat in the gastronomy of the Extremadura region, the references to kid meat in the historical archives of the towns of Extremadura, and the quality and characteristics of the carcasses and meat, all provide evidence of the excellent reputation enjoyed by ‘Cabrito de Extremadura’, which is produced, reared and processed exclusively in the Extremadura region.

Reference to publication of the specification

https://www.juntaex.es/documents/77055/621148/Solicitud+IGP+Cabrito+de+Extremadura.+Pliego+condiciones.pdf


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