Ubre Blanca
Encyclopedia
Ubre Blanca was a cow in Cuba
known for her prodigious milk production. The cow, along with the "Cordón de La Habana" coffee plantations, the Voisin pasture system, and the microjet irrigation system, symbolizes Fidel Castro
’s efforts to modernize Cuba's agricultural economy. The Spanish
phrase ubre blanca translates to the English
phrase white udder.
as world records. The cow was a cross between a Holstein
bull and a zebu
. The current annual production record is 75,275 pounds, set by LA-Foster Blackstar Lucy in 1998 at the LaFoster Dairy in Cleveland, North Carolina
.
's superior breeding skills, and the cow's achievements were often printed in Cuba's government-controlled newspapers. On May 21, 2002 the Wall Street Journal published an article about Cuban attempts to clone Ubre Blanca, in which they reported that Ubre Blanca's sire was actually a Canadian bull. To many Cubans, Ubre Blanca evokes memories of the era before the so-called "Special Period
" – the economic collapse that followed the demise of the Soviet Union
, Cuba's main benefactor, beginning in 1989. Cuba's cattle herd diminished from 10 million head in the 1980s to less than half of that today, most starving to death for lack of feed.
at about the age of 13 (exact age unknown). The cow’s death was commemorated by Communist Party newspaper Granma
with a full obituary and eulogy. Taxidermists stuffed Ubre Blanca and put the body in a climate-controlled glass case at the entrance to the National Cattle Health Center 10 miles outside Havana
, where it still remains. Ubre Blanca was honored by her hometown of Nueva Gerona
, which erected a marble statue in memory of the cow. Since the cow's death, Cuban scientists have unsuccessfully attempted to clone
Ubre Blanca using frozen tissue samples.
and poet Ricardo Pau-Llosa
retells the story of Ubre Blanca as an allegory of Castro’s rise to power.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
known for her prodigious milk production. The cow, along with the "Cordón de La Habana" coffee plantations, the Voisin pasture system, and the microjet irrigation system, symbolizes Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
’s efforts to modernize Cuba's agricultural economy. The Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
phrase ubre blanca translates to the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
phrase white udder.
Milk production
Ubre Blanca produced 109.5 liters (241 pounds) of milk on a single day in January 1982 – more than four times a typical cow's production. The cow also produced 24,268.9 liters of milk (about 55,090 pounds at 2.27 pounds per liter) in 305 days (one lactation period) ending in February 1982. Both feats were recognized by Guinness World RecordsGuinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as world records. The cow was a cross between a Holstein
Holstein (cattle)
Holstein cattle is a breed of cattle known today as the world's highest production dairy animal. Originating in Europe, Holsteins were bred in what is now the Netherlands and more specifically in the two northern provinces of North Holland and Friesland...
bull and a zebu
Zebu
Zebu , sometimes known as humped cattle, indicus cattle, Cebu or Brahmin cattle are a type of domestic cattle originating in South Asia, particularly the Indian subcontinent. They are characterised by a fatty hump on their shoulders, drooping ears and a large dewlap...
. The current annual production record is 75,275 pounds, set by LA-Foster Blackstar Lucy in 1998 at the LaFoster Dairy in Cleveland, North Carolina
Cleveland, North Carolina
Cleveland is a town in the Cleveland Township of Rowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 808 at the 2000 census.It is named after Cleveland, England, but it is rumored that the town is actually named after Grover Cleveland after he visited the town during his presidential...
.
Use in Cuban propaganda
Castro referred to Ubre Blanca's prodigious output in speeches as evidence of communismCommunism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
's superior breeding skills, and the cow's achievements were often printed in Cuba's government-controlled newspapers. On May 21, 2002 the Wall Street Journal published an article about Cuban attempts to clone Ubre Blanca, in which they reported that Ubre Blanca's sire was actually a Canadian bull. To many Cubans, Ubre Blanca evokes memories of the era before the so-called "Special Period
Special Period
The Special Period in Time of Peace in Cuba was an extended period of economic crisis that began in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and, by extension, the Comecon. The economic depression of the Special Period was at its most severe in the early-to-mid 1990s before slightly declining...
" – the economic collapse that followed the demise of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Cuba's main benefactor, beginning in 1989. Cuba's cattle herd diminished from 10 million head in the 1980s to less than half of that today, most starving to death for lack of feed.
Death
In 1985, Ubre Blanca was euthanizedAnimal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
at about the age of 13 (exact age unknown). The cow’s death was commemorated by Communist Party newspaper Granma
Granma (newspaper)
Granma is the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party.Its name comes from the yacht Granma that carried Fidel Castro and 81 other rebels to Cuba's shores in 1956 launching the Cuban Revolution.-Editions:...
with a full obituary and eulogy. Taxidermists stuffed Ubre Blanca and put the body in a climate-controlled glass case at the entrance to the National Cattle Health Center 10 miles outside Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, where it still remains. Ubre Blanca was honored by her hometown of Nueva Gerona
Nueva Gerona
Nueva Gerona is the capital city of the Isla de la Juventud special municipality of Cuba. The city is located between the hills of Caballos and Casas, about 3 km up the Río Casas, which provides a navigable waterway to the Caribbean Sea....
, which erected a marble statue in memory of the cow. Since the cow's death, Cuban scientists have unsuccessfully attempted to clone
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
Ubre Blanca using frozen tissue samples.
Poem
In the poem Ganadería, Cuban exileCuban exile
The term "Cuban exile" refers to the many Cubans who have sought alternative political or economic conditions outside the island, dating back to the Ten Years' War and the struggle for Cuban independence during the 19th century...
and poet Ricardo Pau-Llosa
Ricardo Pau-Llosa
Ricardo Pau-Llosa is a Cuban-American poet, art critic of Latin American art in the US and Europe, and author of short fiction.-Life:...
retells the story of Ubre Blanca as an allegory of Castro’s rise to power.
- They were educated men,
- how could they not know what was coming?
- How could they not save Ubre Blanca
- from the endless speeches, the cameras, and the fist?
See also
- Economy of CubaEconomy of CubaThe economy of Cuba is a largely centrally planned economy dominated by state-run enterprises overseen by the Cuban government, though there remains significant foreign investment and private enterprise in Cuba...
- Education in CubaEducation in CubaEducation in Cuba has been a highly ranked system for many years. The University of Havana was founded in 1727 and there are a number of other well-established colleges and universities. Following the 1959 revolution, the Castro government nationalized all educational institutions, and created a...
- Dairy farmingDairy farmingDairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale.Most dairy farms...
- News propagandaNews propagandaNews propaganda is a type of propaganda covertly packaged as credible news, but without sufficient transparency concerning the news item's source and the motivation behind its release...
- Public relationsPublic relationsPublic relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
External links
- http://web.archive.org/web/20050418142437/http://asturiasliberal.org/files/ubre.JPG Picture of Fidel Castro with Ubre Blanca
- GM watch article