Cordeiro Mirandês

Fresh meat obtained from sheep of the Churra Galega Mirandesa breed, of either sex, slaughtered at up to four months of age, born and raised under traditional extensive farming in the municipalities of Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro, Vimioso, and the district of Bragança. Carcases are classified into three weight categories; ribs are cut to an average thickness of 2,5 cm.

About this designation

Cordeiro Mirandês and Canhono Mirandês are registered as a PDO under file number PDO-PT-0787, with EU protection dating from 12 August 2009 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014013). The designation covers fresh meat and offal from sheep of the Churra Galega Mirandesa breed, identified and entered in the zootechnical register for that breed, slaughtered at up to four months of age. Animals must be born and raised within the defined geographical area, which comprises the municipalities of Miranda do Douro, Mogadouro and Vimioso and the district of Bragança. The farming system is traditional and extensive. Category A animals are suckling lambs fed exclusively on mothers' milk. Categories B and C cover grazing lambs whose diet is supplemented with cereal grains, wheat straw, natural grass, oat hay, and fodder oats, rye and maize grown on the farm. Where on-farm production is insufficient, purchased feed from within the defined geographical area may be used, provided it does not exceed 50% of the daily ration and the feed concentrate does not exceed 35% of the daily ration. The use of hormones, antibiotics, sulphonamides, anabolic steroids, coccidiostats and other prohibited products is expressly forbidden. Carcases are classified into categories A, B and C by weight. Ribs must be cut to an average thickness of 2,5 cm. All cuts or packages must carry the label wording Cordeiro Mirandês — Denominação de Origem Protegida or Canhono Mirandês — Denominação de Origem Protegida, the product logo, the animal's identification number, a certification marking, the carcase classification, and the date and place of slaughter.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 12 August 2009 under file number PDO-PT-0787 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000014013).
• Only sheep of the Churra Galega Mirandesa breed, entered in the zootechnical register for that breed, may be used; no other breed is permitted.
• Animals must be slaughtered at up to four months of age; the specification permits no older animals.
• Ribs must be cut to an average thickness of 2,5 cm, a requirement described in the specification as typical and unique to this designation.