Marinhoa Meat

The sale of Marinhoa meat ​​is carried out in a centralized manner, that is to say, by the Association of Breeders of Marinhoa Breed (ACRM), holder of the DOP mark and, therefore, the entity responsible for the attribution of the certificate.
We visited the Quinta do Matoutinho, in Santo Varão, Montemor-o-Velho, in the district of Coimbra. The property is owned by Carlos Plácido who, in addition to produce Marinhoa meat, is also the President of ACRM. According to our host, the beef business resumed in 2006 with 12 cows that were to go to the slaughterhouse. "I got there and said, 'it's now!' so I started a farm with 20, and more 25 in a property next to the highway, and here I have 68."
Before proceeding, it is necessary to clarify the designation of Marinhoa meat. This results from its habitat of the plains of the Vouga, Cértima and Antuã rivers, related to the "navies of the coastal region of Beira Litoral" by Silvestre Bernardo Lima, a professor of Zootechnics and Hygiene at the Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine in Lisbon in the 19th century. Due to its robustness, it was used in field cultivation, especially in rice cultivation, as well as in fishing, whether in the harvesting of moliço or in Arte Xávega, dedicated to artisanal coastal fishing on the beaches of the Aveiro region.
However, this meat only receives the Denomination of Protected Origin if the animals were born in the geographical area bounded for this purpose, which is covered by the municipalities of Aveiro, Estarreja, Ílhavo, Murtosa, Ovar, Vagos and - , as well as those of Águeda, Albergaria-a-Velha, Anadia, Cantanhede, Coimbra, Figueira da Foz, Mealhada, Mira, Montemor-o-Velho, Oliveira do Bairro, Sever do Vouga and Soure, in the districts of Aveiro and Coimbra ."It is an autochthonous breed that results from crossing with the [race] minhota. And they used Mirandese to make it big," says Carlos Plácido.
According to the President of ACRM, "the producer is the one who 'makes' the food in the corn fields. The blend is made from cornmeal and cottonseed balls. The beds are made with rice straw. " On the behavior of these animals, he says: "they are calm, if they walked in the pasture, a lifestyle that, for the hospitality business, is fundamental." In addition, they should always be clean and healthy.
Only animals that meet the following requirements are eligible for slaughter: up to six months and weighing 120 kilograms (calves); from six months to two years and weighing between 120 and 300 (vitelline, male or female); from two to six years and weighing between 220 and 450 kilograms (cows); and from two to five years, weighing between 250 and 700 kilos (ox). "The meat is distinguished by the very intense marbling of the meat, characteristic of the breed, which makes it more delicious and less dry," explains Carlos Plácido.
After slaughter, "producers are paid a fixed price per carcass and the association sells the product," he says, praising the importance to the final consumer, "for which there is a basket of about seven kilos that is sold through the site. For the restaurants, the order must also be made through the website ". The less noble parts are, in turn, turned into hamburgers. "It's a long-term investment," he says.