Meat
Piedmont
C tier
Piedmont (Piedmontese or Piemontese) is an Italian beef breed from Piedmont in north-western Italy, famous for a natural double-muscling gene that produces exceptionally high lean yield, fine grain, and pale, tender beef with low external fat. Flavour is mild and clean; the meat suits quick grilling of lean steaks, carpaccio, and traditional Piedmontese bollito and brasato when moist-heat methods are used for working cuts. Purebred and crossbred Piedmontese cattle are raised across Italy and exported as genetics for lean, high-dressing carcasses. The breed is a flagship of regional Italian beef quality and scientific interest in myostatin-related muscling.
Also known as: Piemontese, Piedmontese
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
History
Grey-white cattle of the Piedmont plains and Alpine foothills were used for draught and meat in Savoyard and Italian farms.
A herd book began formal recording of Razza Piemontese cattle in north-western Italy.
The double-muscled “della coscia” phenotype was documented and later incorporated into breed selection.
Selection intensified for hypertrophic muscling, growth, and dairy-beef dual traits in purebred herds.
Consortia and quality marks promoted Piedmontese beef as a premium lean regional product.
International purebred and crossbreeding programmes spread Piedmontese genetics for high-lean beef production.