The Betizu is a breed of cattle native to northern Spain and the French Basque Country. The government of Navarre established a conservation project to protect and conserve the breed. There were an estimated 254 Betizu cattle in Navarre as of 2013.
There is a small herd that inhabits the abandoned village of Sastoya owned by the government of Navarre. It covers a 200 acre area with approximately 30 acres of grassland in the Urraul Alto valley. Within the village there are facilities and warehouses to manage the herd consisting of about 45 animals.
The Betizu has a thin, short neck with abundant hairs and a mane. It is straight in females and slightly curved in males. The eyes are surrounded by a light circle. The horns are white and slightly curved. The back is saddled with arched ribs and the breed has poor muscle development. The hind quarters show bony prominences and are underdeveloped. It has a long tail.
The legs are medium in length with well-developed joints and small light-colored hooves. The hair is a reddish-brown with variations near the feet, nose and eyes. The skin itself is a yellow to white with pink pigment. It stands between 43 and 52 inches high and the cow weighs about 717 pounds and the bull about 990 pounds.
Image Caption: Betizu Cattle. Credit: Wikipedia (public domain)