The Rubia Gallega is a Spanish breed of cattle native to the autonomous community of Galicia in north-western Spain. It is raised mainly for meat. It is distributed throughout Galicia, with about 75% of the population concentrated in the province of Lugo. The coat may be red-blond, wheaten, or cinnamon-coloured.
History
A herdbook was established in 1933. In the twentieth century there was some cross-breeding with stock of the Portuguese Barrosã, the Braunvieh and Simmental of Switzerland, and the British Shorthorn.
The total registered Rubia Gallega population at the end of 2015 was , of which almost all were in Galicia. The cattle are distributed throughout the autonomous community, with about 75% of the population concentrated in Lugo. It is found particularly at altitudes above about in the mountainous areas of the northern part of the province, including the , the , and the .
Use
The Rubia Gallega is primarily a beef cattle breed. The milk is used in the production of Tetilla cheese, which has had Denominación de Origen certification since 1993 and European DOP certification since 1996. The Rubia Gallega is easily handled and is suitable for draught work; however, it is slow in comparison to oxen of other breeds.
References
Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. . Archived 23 June 2020.
Breed data sheet: Rubia Gallega / Spain (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2025.
M. Legide, A. Ceular (April 1994). La raza Rubia Gallega ecotipo de montaña (in Spanish). Animal Genetic Resources / Resources génétiques animales / Recursos genéticos animales. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. . 14: 73–78. .
M. H. French, I. Johansson (1969). Razas Europeas de Ganado Bovino, volume II (in Spanish). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Archived 30 January 2016.
Miguel Fernández Rodríguez, Mariano Gómez Fernández, Juan Vicente Delgado Bermejo, Silvia Adán Belmonte, Miguel Jiménez Cabras (editors) (2009). Guía de campo de las razas autóctonas españolas (in Spanish). Madrid: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino. .
Denominación de Origen Protegida "Queso Tetilla" (in Spanish). Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. Archived 1 February 2016.
Raza bovina Rubia Gallega (in Spanish). Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. Accessed January 2016.
Raza bovina Rubia Gallega: Datos censales (in Spanish). Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. Accessed April 2016.
Janet Fletcher (15 June 2006). A cheese to please those who like it mild. San Francisco Chronicle. Archived 4 November 2012.