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AOC — PDO — Pays de la Loire
The Rouge des Prés breed, heir to meticulous selection since 1830, produces a marbled, flavourful beef that embodies the terroir of Maine and Anjou.
Beef from Pays de la Loire, PDO (AOP) since 2010.
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Originally, the "Maine-Anjou" breed (now named "Rouge des Prés") arose from crossing the Mancelle, a hardy local breed, with English Durham bulls prized for their early maturity and beef qualities. This crossbreeding, begun shortly before 1830 by Olivier de Rougé at the Domaine des Rues in Chenillé-Changé (Maine-et-Loire), aimed to improve the beef qualities of the local breed while preserving its hardiness and adaptation to the French oceanic climate. The breed's herd book dates from 1909, definitively establishing its standards.
Until 2003, the breed was called "Maine-Anjou", a designation it had to relinquish in favour of the beef's appellation of origin, as European regulations prohibit meat under an appellation from bearing the same name as an animal breed. On 1 January 2003, the cattle breed was therefore renamed "Rouge des Prés", in reference to its characteristic red pied coat and its extensive rearing on grassland.
Bœuf Maine-Anjou (the product of the Rouge des Prés breed) first achieved national recognition — AOC — in 2004, then the European PDO label on 20 December 2010, crowning more than a century and a half of rigorous selection.
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The PDO sets strict specifications: a maximum stocking rate of one hectare of pasture per calving, mandatory grazing from 15 March to 15 November, and a ceiling of 3 kg of concentrates per animal per day outside the fattening period — guaranteeing extensive rearing and a predominantly grass-based diet.
Appearance
Meat of a uniform, intense red colour, with a slight orange tint. Generous marbling (intramuscular fat) and an even distribution of external and internal fat — carcase classified 3 or 4 on the EUROP fat cover scale.
Aroma
Clean aroma of well-hung meat — a minimum of 4 days of on-the-bone maturation for hindquarters.
Taste
Intense, lingering flavour, high juiciness that remains constant throughout chewing.
Texture
Exceptional tenderness, even when eaten raw — the meat remains tender to the fork.
The Rouge des Prés (formerly Maine-Anjou) exhibits distinctive characteristics:
Red pied, with a characteristic white patch on the forehead and white lower legs ("socks")
Large frame, considerable body and pelvic length, deep chest
Calm, docile breed with good maternal qualities
Prized marbling, inherited from the Durham-Mancelle cross
The Maine-Anjou PDO specifications require:
animals born, reared and slaughtered within the PDO area (603 communes across 7 departments)
a maximum stocking rate of one hectare of pasture per calving
holding registered with the État civil bovin, breeding bulls registered with the Organisme de sélection
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Bœuf Maine-Anjou requires little seasoning — fine salt and perhaps a spoonful of fleur de sel are sufficient. Cooked rare or medium-rare, the marbling comes fully into its own. Excellent as a thick rib steak, entrecôte, roast or steak taché. Delightful pairings include Loire red wines (Cabernet d'Anjou, Coteaux du Layon rouge), brown ales, dry cider.
Since: 2004
Area covered: 603 communes across departments 35, 44, 49, 53, 72, 79 (northern cantons), 85
Key requirements: Rouge des Prés breed, born, reared and slaughtered in the area, 1 ha of pasture/calving
Since: 2010
Area covered: 603 communes across departments 35, 44, 49, 53, 72, 79 (northern cantons), 85
Key requirements: European recognition — cows that have calved, < 10 years, ≥ 380 kg, grazing 15 March–15 Nov.
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