Anyone who has visited the south west of Ireland may well have seen one or two herds of distinctive black cows around the place. These Irish black cattle are actually one of the oldest breeds still in existence in Europe, and are believed to have been brought the Emerald Isle around 2000 BC. Some small herds are in existence in North America.
The Celtic Shorthorn is, in all probability, from where the modern day breed of black cattle derives. Known as Bo Chiarrai, or sometimes Buinin, in Irish, their name is clearly an overt reference to their black coats. There is usually only a little white on the hide, usually by the udders.
This type of cow has developed as an ideal breed to live in the wet conditions of the west of Ireland, where rainfall is high. Larger breeds can often damage the soil in this type of area. Black cattle, however, operate in a much less harmful way, helping to better preserve the integrity of local soils.
The numbers in existence of this breed have undergone a massive rejuvenation in recent years, after a decline during the 20th century. An estimated 200 animals were left in existence by 1983, and the Irish government played a full part in ensuring the breed's continued survival. The government of the Republic of Ireland now keep a herd at the government farm estate of Farmleigh.
The breed is particularly well-known for the quality of milk that it produces. The typical weight of a cow of this breed is between 350 and 400 kilogrammes, and a typical animal will produce approximately 3700 grammes of milk per lactation. This kind of return has seen some major Irish ice cream manufacturers opt to use milk from this breed.
Any farmers in search of potent sire stock would be well advised to consider using an Kerry bull. Bulls of this breed are able to transmit a genetic domination of their offspring's characteristics, irrespective of the type of female with which they are mated. This leads to consistent quality of meat and other products.
The breed became popular in North America in the 19th century, with the first animals of this type arriving in the USA in 1818. Although the breed thrived in North America during the 1800s, by the time of the 1930s numbers in this part of the world had considerably declined. Many herds in existence in the US have been boosted by recent imports from Canada.
Irish black cattle have a very old genetic lineage, which is related to the Heren cattle, who live in the Alpine mountains of central Europe, as well as the famous bulls of the Camargue. Skull structure indicates that they might also be related to the wild aurochs of ancient times, though they are much smaller. They truly represent an agricultural link to a bygone age, and were the first cows to be bred specifically for their milk.
The Celtic Shorthorn is, in all probability, from where the modern day breed of black cattle derives. Known as Bo Chiarrai, or sometimes Buinin, in Irish, their name is clearly an overt reference to their black coats. There is usually only a little white on the hide, usually by the udders.
This type of cow has developed as an ideal breed to live in the wet conditions of the west of Ireland, where rainfall is high. Larger breeds can often damage the soil in this type of area. Black cattle, however, operate in a much less harmful way, helping to better preserve the integrity of local soils.
The numbers in existence of this breed have undergone a massive rejuvenation in recent years, after a decline during the 20th century. An estimated 200 animals were left in existence by 1983, and the Irish government played a full part in ensuring the breed's continued survival. The government of the Republic of Ireland now keep a herd at the government farm estate of Farmleigh.
The breed is particularly well-known for the quality of milk that it produces. The typical weight of a cow of this breed is between 350 and 400 kilogrammes, and a typical animal will produce approximately 3700 grammes of milk per lactation. This kind of return has seen some major Irish ice cream manufacturers opt to use milk from this breed.
Any farmers in search of potent sire stock would be well advised to consider using an Kerry bull. Bulls of this breed are able to transmit a genetic domination of their offspring's characteristics, irrespective of the type of female with which they are mated. This leads to consistent quality of meat and other products.
The breed became popular in North America in the 19th century, with the first animals of this type arriving in the USA in 1818. Although the breed thrived in North America during the 1800s, by the time of the 1930s numbers in this part of the world had considerably declined. Many herds in existence in the US have been boosted by recent imports from Canada.
Irish black cattle have a very old genetic lineage, which is related to the Heren cattle, who live in the Alpine mountains of central Europe, as well as the famous bulls of the Camargue. Skull structure indicates that they might also be related to the wild aurochs of ancient times, though they are much smaller. They truly represent an agricultural link to a bygone age, and were the first cows to be bred specifically for their milk.
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