Vacca Bianca Modenese

There were 140,000 head in the 1950s. What took them was Parmigiano Reggiano's own success: as the cheese grew, farmers swapped both native breeds, the White Modenese and the Red Reggiana, for Dutch Friesians, more productive and with udders suited to the machine. The Modenese is hardy and dual-purpose, milk and meat, and used to pull the plough as well; its milk is very good for cheese.