Brava (cattle)
| Conservation status | FAO (2007): not at risk |
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| Other names |
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| Country of origin | France |
| Distribution | |
| Standard | French |
| Use |
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| Coat | variable, usually black |
| Horn status | horned in both sexes |
| Notes | |
| semi-feral | |
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The Brava or Race de Combat is a French breed of domestic cattle raised in the Camargue, the delta of the Rhône in southern France. It is bred specifically for bull-fighting, either Spanish-style (on foot) or Portuguese-style (on horseback). It is one of two cattle breeds raised in semi-feral conditions in the Camargue: the other is the Raço di Biòu or Camargue breed, which is not a fighting breed but is used in a bloodless bull-sport, the course camarguaise. The Brava derives from Iberian fighting cattle imported in the nineteenth century, and may also be known as the Espagnole Brava.
The first introduction of breeding stock of Iberian fighting bulls to France was an importation to Arles in 1869 by Joseph Yonnet, a breeder; there were no further such imports until 1975. The Brava has long been raised in semi-feral conditions in the wetlands of the Camargue, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and of the Petite Camargue, in the département of Gard in the region of Occitanie. It is one of two cattle breeds raised in the area, the other being the Raço di Biòu or Camargue breed, which is not a fighting breed. Both are associated with the rural and cultural traditions of the Camargue, including the gardians, mounted herders who manage the livestock in manades, and the small white Camargue horses they ride. A breed society for the Brava was established in 1920.
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