It is named after the Zamora regions it originally occupied, Aliste and Sanabria. The influence of Portuguese cattle on the conditions of the Alistana-Sanabresa breed, mainly Mirandesa and to a lesser extent Barrosa, is well known.
It belongs to the group of animals that were long referred to as Morenas del Noroeste. The oxen are markedly darker. It has its origin in the Cantabrian stock. Characteristic of the animals of this breed is the presence of
fringe or toupee and they stand out for their extreme adaptability to very cold climates and poor pastures.
