A Cow–Calf Farming System Fully Adapted to Elevation and Harsh Conditions in Andorra (Europe)

Abstract

The use of natural resources is an important topic to optimize the efficiency of cattle production. The purpose of this work is to describe the project of the Bruna d’Andorra; a local cow breed under an extensive cow–calf system in Andorra (Europe), as an example of local farming and marketing of its meat products in an area with adverse environmental conditions. This breed is located in Andorra, a microstate that consists predominantly of rugged mountains and harsh weather conditions. The cow–calf Bruna d’Andorra extensive system is thoroughly described and productive and reproductive performance, compiled over 21 years (2000–2020), has been analyzed by years with the Chi-square test or ANOVA to compare proportions or means, respectively, and regression analysis was used to decipher evolution across years. The results show a population with a census large and stable enough to avoid inbreeding. Moreover, a sustained improvement of the productive performance and maternal fitness has been observed along the studied period for Bruna d’Andorra. The work concludes that local breeds can achieve sustainable animal production, especially when farmers, public administration and commercial circuits in the area agree to cooperate on such projects. The study also concludes that the Bruna d’Andorra cow breed can still improve in meat and reproductive performance.