The area´s harsh natural conditions and fairly extreme climate, have made the peoples of Arribes del Duero adopt a livestock farming system closely linked to the natural vegetation.

Traditional farming systems have resisted modernization and thus maintained extensive livestock productions, retaining the rich genetic heritage of the local farm animals. The autochthonous breeds of Arribes del Duero are well adapted to the harsh conditions of the area and produce high quality products: examples are the Sayago Cow, the Zamorano-Leones Donkey, the Churra-Sayagues Sheep and the “Agrupación de las Mesetas” Goat.

The goat herds from which we obtain the milk for the production of our goat cheese LA SETERA, graze in the Arribes, the steep rocky slopes along the Duero river. They feed on aromatic plants, grasses, bushes and oak acorns. The goats receive little or no other feeds, and this together with the adaptation of the herds to the joint low productions of meat and milk, mean that the milk has an excellent quality for the production of cheese- creaminess and aroma.

The goat productions are very much linked to the natural conditions of the area throughout the year, resulting in very seasonal milk, and hence cheese, yields. Market demands can therefore not be met during part of the year - October to December.

The continuing existence of extensive goat farming is of utmost importance to the survival of local ecosystems and to the conservation of endangered species in the Arribes del Duero Natural Park, such as the Black Stork and the Egyptian Vulture. The abandonment of farming due to emigration and an ageing population are also a cause of increased forest fires.