For people from the south west of Ireland, the site of Irish black cattle dotting the landscape has once again become a familiar thing. These dark cows are one of Europe's oldest breeds, and may well have arrived in Ireland as early as 2000 BC. As well as their presence in Ireland, there are also some small herds in the USA and Canada.
This breed of cow is, in all likelihood, a descendant of the Celtic Shorthorn, and is found in greatest quantities in Ireland. In their native land, they are often referred to as Kerry Cattle, or, in Irish Gaelic, Bo Chiarrai or Buinin. They get their English name from their black hides, which usually only have a little white on them, by the udder.
The breed is believed to have been developed to suit the specific environmental conditions found on small farms in the southern and western parts of Ireland. Rainfall tends to be very high in this part of the country, and there are plenty of upland areas. Cows of this type do much less damage than larger breeds to the soil in areas with this type of high rainfall.
There was a massive decline in the numbers of the breed fairly recently, however, with only around 200 pedigree animals left in existence by 1983. That small number was not just the amount left in Ireland, either, but the entire world. Numbers have thankfully increased since then, in no small part due to the work of the Irish government, who maintain a herd at the farm estate of Farmleigh.
This type of cattle are especially well-known the high quality milk that they can produce. Indeed, some notable Irish ice cream manufacturers have made a point of using the milk from Kerry cows, due to its ideal qualities for ice making. A typical cow of this breed, weighing around 375 kilogrammes, can usually produce between 3500 and 4000 grammes of milk per lactation.
As sire stock, the Kerry bull can be a highly valuable acquisition for stock farmers, as bulls of this breed are in possession of a highly concentrated gene pool. This gene pool means that their characteristics dominate in their offspring, whatever breed of female they are paired with. This leads to a great consistency of quality in the kind of meat that the breed produces.
The first animals belonging to this breed to dwell in North America arrived in the United States in 1818. The breed did well throughout the 19th century, and was a popular choice for farmers. By the 1930s, though, there had been a serious decline in numbers, with few herds left in existence; recent imports from Canada have contributed to a revival in numbers, though.
Irish black cattle were the first breed deliberately bred for their milk, and their genetic heritage is similar to the Heren of the high Alps of central Europe, as well as the fierce black bulls of France's Camargue. Analysis of their skulls shows that there might also be a link to the wild aurochs of the Stone Age. They truly are cattle from another age, perfectly adapted to modern farming conditions, and able to give both high quality milk and meat.
This breed of cow is, in all likelihood, a descendant of the Celtic Shorthorn, and is found in greatest quantities in Ireland. In their native land, they are often referred to as Kerry Cattle, or, in Irish Gaelic, Bo Chiarrai or Buinin. They get their English name from their black hides, which usually only have a little white on them, by the udder.
The breed is believed to have been developed to suit the specific environmental conditions found on small farms in the southern and western parts of Ireland. Rainfall tends to be very high in this part of the country, and there are plenty of upland areas. Cows of this type do much less damage than larger breeds to the soil in areas with this type of high rainfall.
There was a massive decline in the numbers of the breed fairly recently, however, with only around 200 pedigree animals left in existence by 1983. That small number was not just the amount left in Ireland, either, but the entire world. Numbers have thankfully increased since then, in no small part due to the work of the Irish government, who maintain a herd at the farm estate of Farmleigh.
This type of cattle are especially well-known the high quality milk that they can produce. Indeed, some notable Irish ice cream manufacturers have made a point of using the milk from Kerry cows, due to its ideal qualities for ice making. A typical cow of this breed, weighing around 375 kilogrammes, can usually produce between 3500 and 4000 grammes of milk per lactation.
As sire stock, the Kerry bull can be a highly valuable acquisition for stock farmers, as bulls of this breed are in possession of a highly concentrated gene pool. This gene pool means that their characteristics dominate in their offspring, whatever breed of female they are paired with. This leads to a great consistency of quality in the kind of meat that the breed produces.
The first animals belonging to this breed to dwell in North America arrived in the United States in 1818. The breed did well throughout the 19th century, and was a popular choice for farmers. By the 1930s, though, there had been a serious decline in numbers, with few herds left in existence; recent imports from Canada have contributed to a revival in numbers, though.
Irish black cattle were the first breed deliberately bred for their milk, and their genetic heritage is similar to the Heren of the high Alps of central Europe, as well as the fierce black bulls of France's Camargue. Analysis of their skulls shows that there might also be a link to the wild aurochs of the Stone Age. They truly are cattle from another age, perfectly adapted to modern farming conditions, and able to give both high quality milk and meat.
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