Mertolenga

The Mertolenga is a Portuguese breed of cattle. It is named for the concelho of Mértola in south-eastern Alentejo, bordering with Spain.^[3]: 242 In 2003 it was one of thirteen registered Portuguese cattle breeds, constituting approximately 19 per cent of cattle in the country.^[4]

Mertolenga

Conservation status	FAO (2007): not at risk[1]: 92  DAD-IS (2022): not at risk[2]
Country of origin	Portugal
Distribution	Alentejo
Use	formerly draught, management of fighting bulls; now beef
Cattle Bos primigenius

History

The Mertolenga originated as a colour variant within the Alentejana cattle of Alentejo in south-eastern Portugal, identified in 1873.^[3]: 242 It derives in part from the Spanish Berrenda en Colorado.^[5]: 302

The breed region is circumscribed almost exclusively to southern Portugal in the Low Alentejo, and Ribatejo regions.

Use

The Mertolenga was originally used principally for draught work in the rice fields of Alentejo. It was also used to assist in moving and handling fighting cattle, in the same way that the Berrenda en Colorado is used in Spain.^[3]: 242 In the twenty-first century it is reared for beef, some of which is marketed as Carne Mertolenga, which has Denominação de Origem Protegida status.^[3]: 242