Betizu

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Betizu is a small mountain cattle breed that lives mostly in the Basque Country, in parts of Spain and France. It roams semi-feral in the mountains of Navarre, Gipuzkoa, and Bizkaia (Spain) and in Labourd and Pyrénées-Atlantiques (France). It is endangered: Spain lists it as endangered or at risk, and France as at risk or critical.

The breed’s origins are unknown. The Basque name betizu means “elusive cow,” and the animal appears in Basque mythology as Zezengorri, the red bull who guards treasure. It may be a remnant of ancient Pyrenean cattle or cattle that drifted away during seasonal movements. In Navarre a conservation herd was started at Sastoia and later managed by the Instituto Navarro de Tecnologías e Infraestructuras Agroalimentarias. By 2023 Spain had about 1,267 Betizu (688 cows and 50 bulls in a herd-book across 41 herds); France had about 80–100 animals.

Males weigh about 400–500 kg and stand around 130 cm tall; females weigh about 300–350 kg and are about 120 cm tall. They have coats that range from creamy white to brown and have horns. Betizu are used for meat and for vegetation management.

They are one of a few semi-feral cattle populations in Europe, alongside the Albera, Monchina, and Raço di Biòu.