I3I0 CATTLE 



996 - The Portuguese Cattle Breeds Barrosa and Maronesa. — de lacerda pizarro 



Agostinho Josii 1-"REIRE, ill Rcvisla dc Mcdicina I'vlcrinarui, 15th Year, Xo. 173, pp. 120- 

 134, lyisbon, Jul J' 1 91 6. 



The Barrosa breed (in the Barros region) belongs to the district of the 

 Minho and part of that of Oporto ; the Maronesa race is a native of the di- 

 strict of the Douro. 



According to the writer the Barrosa breed in its present state shows cra- 

 nial characters similar to those of Bos mauritanicns, and has ven*' fully 

 developed and large horns. 



From a comparison between the two breeds the Barrosa breed exhibits 

 the following features : wider head, horns twice the size and pointed directly 

 upwards from their root ; the vertex of the frontal protuberance nearer 

 to the median line ; shorter face ; smaller size of naso-maxillary suture ; 

 the presence of a frontal crest, more prominent orbits. The head is dished 

 in both breeds. The line of the upper edge of the neck, especially in its 

 front part, is concave in the Barrosa and almost straight in the Maronesa. 

 The dorso-lumbar line and the tail insertion are identical ; the Barrosa 

 breed has straight or slightly hollowed buttocks, the Maronesa straight or 

 slightly convex ones. The limbs of the Barrosa are finer, as its skeleton 

 is more slender ; its meat yield may amount to 65 % of the live weight, 

 which is never reached by the Maronesa. The Barrosa breed has less 

 capacity for resisting heav}' labour ; it is much more suitable for dairy pur- 

 poses (cows are found whicli when in full milk yield from 2.6 to 3.1 galls 

 of milk per da}-, with 5 to 6 % of fat). According to the measurements 

 m^ade by the writer, the Barrosa breed presents the following average di- 

 mensions : 



Length of heacl 15-74 ins. 



Width of fore-head 11.42 ins. 



Height of %\-ithers 5i-i8 ins. 



Coxoscapular length 60.63 ins. 



Circuinierence of chest So. 73 ins. 



Height of chest 31 -71 ins. 



Width of ribs 18. 11 ins. 



Maximum width of belly 84. 64 ins. 



Initial width of pelvis i6.(»3 ins. 



Dactylothoracic index ^/^o to ^/jQ.g lbs. 



lyive weight i.5-40 to 21.56 lbs. 



Therefore this is a breed with dished face, short lines and eumetric 

 (according to Saxsox, brachy cephalic). 



The writer holds that the " Barrosaos " cattle form a true race, but 

 that on the other hand the " Maronesos " are the result of a cross between 

 the Barrosa and ]\Iirandesa breeds. He is led to this conclusion both from 



