Station 04
The two exclusive cow breeds allowed in Beaufort’s production
Abondance
- Native to the Abondance valley in Haute-Savoie.
- It is easily recognised by its piebald mahogany coat and white belly.
- It often has spots around its eyes. These look like sunglasses and help protect from the sun.
Tarine
- A historical breed from Savoie.
- Its coat is plain and fawn.
- Its hooves are black as well as its eyes. It looks like make-up!
These 2 cow breeds are hardy and resistant to the mountain climate’s sudden changes. They are perfectly adapted to the difficult terrain of our high pastures, as well as renowned for the quality of their milk. Adorned with their beautiful bells, they are iconic.
Cow feeding throughout the seasons
As seasons change, so does the diet of the animals. The variety of plants that they eat gives cheese its rich aroma and flavour.
- Spring: cows come out of the barn to graze on fresh, rich grass throughout our meadows in the valley. Here, the grass grows faster than in the mountain pastures.
- Summer: herds spend time up in the mountain pastures for around 4 months. They get to enjoy green pastures famous for their wide variety of plants and flowers (up to 60 species per m²). Meanwhile, farmers work hard harvesting hay down in the valleys around the villages.
- When autumn comes, it is time for our beauties to head back down to the valley as grass becomes scarce, dry and not nutritious enough. The cold and snow-capped peaks naturally push herds and families back down. We call it “la démontagnée”.
- In order to ensure a well-balanced diet in winter, cows spend most of their time at the barn. They’re exclusively hay fed with summer’s harvest. Cows are provided with as much hay as they want (in addition to other grains if required).
Organoleptic quality and sanitary requirements are our prime concerns. In order to ensure the highest quality, farmers commit to not introduce any GMO (genetically modified organisms) into feeding. Farms are subject to regular checks.
Guess what?
More than 40% of France’s flora is concentrated in the Vanoise massif (which covers only 1% of France!). This floral diversity is a source of wealth and explains our high-quality milk, hence Beaufort cheese.
Note, within Beaufort PDO, silage is strictly prohibited!
Silage is when farmers cut fresh grass or other green fodder, such as corn, and preserve it by compacting it in airtight conditions to ferment. The bottom line is that feed has a direct impact on both milk quality and its cheesability, meaning good cheese-making properties, such as its colour, texture, smell, aroma and taste! Feeding our cows with silage would result in serious problems, mostly during the maturing process-micro-organisms and bacteria would make the Beaufort swell.
Moutain milk production
As mammals, cows give birth to a calf each year and produce milk for about 10 months. Once the calf is weaned, farmers make good use of the mother’s milk to make cheese.
Milking is carried out twice a day (morning and evening) by farmers, either inside, at the stable during the winter, or outside in the mountain pasture during summertime. The evening milk is cooled overnight on site.
Milk is collected once a day (early in the morning!) by the Co-operative, before being taken directly to the workshop for processing.
Milk production is far from being the farmer’s only job. They must have a wide range of skills allowing them to fulfill many roles such as breeder, grower, veterinary surgeon, mechanic, accountant, etc. while preserving biodiversity and maintaining landscapes. Nowadays, a farmer is also a manager. Their work requires a deep understanding of and relationship with the natural world.
Constant adaptation is the cornerstone of mountain farming.
Long live raw & natural milk!
Savoie PDO + PGI cheeses as well as our Bleu de Bonneval sur Arc are made from raw & whole milk.
Raw milk provides more rich and natural flavours to cheese than pasteurised milk. Pasteurisation not only denatures aromatic compounds but destroys wild flora naturally contained in milk.
Eating raw milk cheese has a number of benefits. Like every fermented food it contributes to the functioning of our microbiota. It is essential for our immunity development, preventing us from getting certain diseases.
Note that high-risk people such as pregnant women, young children, immunocompromised persons, etc. should eat it with caution. However, these warnings should be put into perspective-cooked cheeses like Beaufort PDO are safer and Beaufort has been cooked at 54°.
Did you know?
PDO Beaufort cheese does not contain any lactose. During the pressing stage, the right conditions are met for the lactose to be transformed into lactic acid by bacteria. This is called the “acidification process”.
Kids visit
Fortina: Time to play!
Feel their fur, imagine their warm body…. Take a good look at these 2 cows and you’ll be able to recognise them when you go out hiking! Also, have fun drawing them both at home!
Don’t forget to give them a name!
