Breeds of Carrù and the fat ox fair
A Piedmontese town whose December fair of fattened oxen, held since 1910, ends with bollito misto at breakfast.
Breeds of this place
Best time: December, on the fair day.
Carrù is a small town in the province of Cuneo, in southern Piedmont. Each December it holds the Fiera del Bue Grasso, the fair of the fat ox, where the best oxen of the Piedmontese breed are shown and judged. The fair has been held since 1910, and the day begins before dawn, with plates of bollito misto, mixed boiled meats, eaten early in the morning in the town's trattorie.
The Piedmontese breed
Piedmontese cattle are white or pale grey, with black skin and black points. Many carry a gene that causes heavy muscle development, and the breed is valued for lean beef. Oxen, castrated males raised slowly for several years, were once the pride of farms in the region, used for work and then fattened. Breeders still raise a few for the fair.
The fair
The animals are shown in pens in the town, draped with rugs and ribbons, and judged by breed and type. Prizes go to the best oxen and their owners. The fair draws visitors from across Piedmont, and is part of a winter season of food fairs in the Langhe and around Cuneo.
A trail idea for Carrù and the fat ox fair
- Fair ground Where the oxen are shown and judged on fair day.
- Town trattorie Bollito misto served from early morning on fair day.
- Langhe hills Vineyard country just to the east.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Carrù" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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