The Pezzata Rossa d'Oropa is a cattle breed indigenous to the Biellese mountains, included in the FAO list of rare breeds and present in the area for centuries, suited to the difficult environments of these areas due to its rusticity and frugality. These animals fully respond to the economic and working needs of mountain areas where cattle are taken to graze for 4-5 months; it is in fact robust and has muscular limbs. A dual-purpose breed, it is reared in mountain pastures during the summer and is of great importance for the production of Toma Biellese cheese. Second calving cows can give 10-14 litres a day of particularly rich milk.
The milk of the Rossa d'Oropa cows, for example, is the main ingredient in the cheeses of Caseificio Pierluigi Rosso. It is collected daily from 30 Biellese farms characterised by traditional method farming. "The Biellese farmers are very fond of this breed at risk of extinction," says Enrico Rosso, owner of the dairy, "and over the years they have done everything to try to preserve and improve it.
The best way to preserve the genetic and historical heritage of this breed is therefore to taste and publicise the cheeses made with its milk, such as the original Birbablu or the classic Maccagno.
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