La Reina (cattle)

La Reina (cattle)

La Reina (also known as the Creole cattle) is a Nicaraguan local breed originating from the Bos taurus varieties brought to America during the Spanish colonization in the 15th century. In the 1950’s Joaquin Reyna, a Nicaraguan breeder, formed a herd with approximately 200 females with typical characteristics of Creole cattle from which the Reyna breed was created. Selection of animals was focused on red coat colour (sorrel) and milk production. The Nicaraguan government started an official inventory in the 1970’s and in 1988 the Reyna cattle were declared as national patrimony, and in conjunction with the National Agrarian University of Nicaragua (Universidad Nacional Agraria) (UNA) agreed to a genetic improvement program of the cattle. The purebred Reyna Creole cattle population in Nicaragua consists of about 650 purebred females, including calves, heifers and cows distributed in five herds. Considering four herds with records the number of cows presently amount to 285.