Pasiega

The Pasiega, also called Roja Pasiega, is a red dairy cattle breed from the Valles Pasiegos of Cantabria in northern Spain. It was long associated with milk production in a region of steep green valleys, then declined sharply as more specialized Swiss and Friesian dairy cattle spread. A surviving population was identified after the breed had been widely considered lost, giving the Pasiega a strong conservation story as well as a practical dairy identity.

Pasiega cattle suit farms that value regional milk, grazing ability, and local cheese or butter traditions. Their management is not just about liters per cow; it also involves maintaining animals that can work on sloped pasture, calve reliably, and keep the red Pasiego type recognizable. Small breeders should document matings and replacements carefully, because recovery breeds can lose progress through unplanned crossing or by selecting only for short-term milk volume.

Colors: Belted, Black, Black and White, Blaze Faced, Blue Roan, Brindle, Brockle Faced, Brown, Brown and White, Dun, Gray, Grey, Highbelt, Highpark, Lineback, Mottled, Pied, Red, Red and White, Red Roan, Riggit, Roan, Silver, Solid Black, Solid Red, Solid White, Speckled, Spotted, White, White Faced, Yellow