The Chianina
“Bos Magnus et Albus”
– Pliny the Elder –
“The war-horse stepping proudly o’er the plain;
Hence thy white flocks, Clitumnus, and the bull,
Of victims mightiest, which full oft have led,
Bathed in thy sacred stream, the triumph-pomp
Of Romans to the temples of the gods.”
– Virgil – Georgics – Book II –
ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION
The Chianina is probably the oldest breed of cattle in the world. According to Pliny the Elder, it is a direct descendant of the prehistoric ox (Bos primigenius or auroch) and is portrayed in prehistoric rock paintings.
There is a long-running debate among academics as to whether it is native or comes from the Orient, but there is no doubt that its phenotype has been moulded in the image and likeness of the Italic lands where it has evolved.
Etruscans and Romans used it as a draught animal and, thanks to its white coat, it was often exhibited in celebratory processions or sacrificed to the divinities.
The Chianina owes its morphology and name to the Valdichiana, a region straddling the provinces of Siena and Arezzo which the majestic bovine helped reclaim in its early role as tractor.
It goes without saying that the Valdichiana must be considered as the only and unique habitat par excellence of the Chianina.
Here there is no “night in which all cows are black”.
– Hegel –
No confusion, no vagueness.
The white of our cattle stands out distinctly, a sign of unequalled quality and goodness.
CHARACTERISTICS
It is characterised by somatic gigantism and a definite predisposition for synthesising proteins rather than fats.
Its fine pigmented porcelain white coat contrasts with the black mucou membranes and small stubby dark-tipped horns.
The head is light and elegant, more elongated in the cow and with a wide forehead in the bull.
The neck is of medium length with little dewlap. The long sturdy legs have excellent perpendicularity.
Noble and graceful, inevitably delicate and a late developer, it requires specific and constant care to achieve optimum growth.
An unbeatable genetic make-up has been enhanced by our farming techniques to create universally recognised quality and tenderness.
UNBEATABLE NUTRITIONAL VALUES
The most interesting quality aspects of Chianina beef are its high protein content (more than 20%), low cholesterol content (50 mg/100 g), reduced calorie content (106 Kcal/100 g), high vitamin B12 content and, finally, the lowest index of atherogenesis of all European beef cattle breeds. Just as in white meat and fish, the ratio between polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids, fundamental to prevent cardiovascular disease, is equal to or less than 1.
Thanks to its specific endocrine characteristics, in Chianina cattle, protein biosynthesis forms lean mass, rather than fat.
Of the adipose tissue (2 g/100 g), 50% is represented by oleic acid (monounsaturated, also present in olive oil) and linoleic acid – omega 3 (essential fatty acid).
They are therefore “health-friendly” fats, in other words, polar lipids able to improve synthesis of “good” cholesterol.
Chianina beef is therefore extremely lean and at the same time much richer in iron (1.6 m/100 g) than white meat.
Eating Chianina beef has been shown to prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, depression, skin diseases, asthma, breast cancer and prostate cancer.
Accompany it with a glass of good Sangiovese wine. The very high polyphenol content will accentuate the antioxidant effects, helping prevent arteriosclerosis.
| Proteins | Fats (lipids) | Starches / Sugars | Calories Kcal | Cholesterol mg/100g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veal | 20.7 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 92 | 71 |
| Lean baby-beef | 21.3 | 3.1 | 0.0 | 113 | 65 |
| CHIANINO BABY BEEF |
22.5 | 2 | 0.0 | 106 | 50 |
| Whole chicken | 19.1 | 11.0 | 0.0 | 175 | 96 |
| Mozzarella | 19.9 | 16.1 | 4.9 | 243 | 97 |
| Semolina pasta | 10.8 | 0.3 | 82.8 | 356 | 0 |
| Prosciutto | 22.2 | 31.2 | 0.0 | 370 | 92 |
| Breadsticks | 12.3 | 13.9 | 69.0 | 433 | 0 |
Why buy PGI - Vitellone Bianco dell’Appennino Centrale beef?
- Because the entire supply chain is traceable.
- Because you can be certain that the meat comes from the most traditional areas of Italy.
- Because you can enjoy nutritional values guaranteed by the production specifications.
- Because you can enjoy the results of production techniques codified to maximise quality.
- Because you can choose from the best-known Italian beef breeds.
Why buy Chianina beef?
- Because its tradition goes back thousands of years.
- Because the original “fiorentina” steak comes exclusively from this breed.
- Because it is the undisputed leader among Italian breeds for its organoleptic qualities, healthiness, tastiness and tenderness.
Why buy our Chianina beef?
- Because we implement every characteristic guaranteed by the breed and production specifications, using perfectly balanced self-produced feed, ideal hanging and respect of the times imposed by the natural cycle.