Piedmontese cattle

Piedmontese is an Italian heritage breed from Piedmont (Cuneo and Asti provinces) characterized by a genetic mutation (myostatin gene knockout) that produces 'double-muscling' — exaggerated muscle development with reduced fat. The result is meat that's extremely lean while also extraordinarily tender (the absence of normal myostatin function affects connective tissue as well as muscle development). For cured-meat purposes, the breed's lean character suits air-drying and bresaola-style preparations; Piedmontese is the traditional regional source for Bresaola Piemontese and various air-dried specialties.

The breed's modern marketing in fresh-beef channels (as 'tender lean beef' compared to fatty marbled breeds) is at odds with American consumer preferences for marbled steak — but for traditional Italian dried-beef work where lean structure concentrates flavor, the breed is well-suited. Lombardy's Bresaola della Valtellina IGP, while not exclusively Piedmontese, often uses Piedmontese or Piedmontese-cross genetics.