Although numbers once declined considerably, Irish black cattle are now a much more familiar site, especially in the south west of Ireland. An ancient breed, which may have been brought to Ireland as early as 4000 years ago, their numbers have risen in recent years after a decline. Small numbers of this type of cow can be found in Canada and the United States, as well as Ireland.
In terms of its ancestry, this breed most likely has the Celtic Shorthorn cow as its primary ancestor. In Ireland, where the greatest numbers are still found, they are more often called Kerry Cattle, or Buinin. Another Gaelic name for them is Bo Chiarrai, while their English name is derived from their dark coats, usually almost uniformly black.
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.
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.
Cattle of this type first arrived in the United States of America in 1818, and the breed remained popular throughout the 1800s. By the time the 1930s rolled around, however, there had been a serious reduction in the numbers of cows of this type in North America. Herds have grown recently, though, helped in the USA by imports from Canadian herds.
Irish black cattle are part of ancient lineage which goes back thousands of years, and were actually one of the first kinds of cow bred deliberately for their milk production. Analysis of their genes shows some relation to the Alpine Heren cattle, and the ferocious bulls of the Camargue, in France. Their skulls show signs that they might well be a smaller version of the ancient wild aurochs, highlighting the antiquity of the breed.
In terms of its ancestry, this breed most likely has the Celtic Shorthorn cow as its primary ancestor. In Ireland, where the greatest numbers are still found, they are more often called Kerry Cattle, or Buinin. Another Gaelic name for them is Bo Chiarrai, while their English name is derived from their dark coats, usually almost uniformly black.
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.
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.
Cattle of this type first arrived in the United States of America in 1818, and the breed remained popular throughout the 1800s. By the time the 1930s rolled around, however, there had been a serious reduction in the numbers of cows of this type in North America. Herds have grown recently, though, helped in the USA by imports from Canadian herds.
Irish black cattle are part of ancient lineage which goes back thousands of years, and were actually one of the first kinds of cow bred deliberately for their milk production. Analysis of their genes shows some relation to the Alpine Heren cattle, and the ferocious bulls of the Camargue, in France. Their skulls show signs that they might well be a smaller version of the ancient wild aurochs, highlighting the antiquity of the breed.
About the Author:
To get a certification for your Irish black cattle, you can use the our informative site at www.irishblacks.com. Visit us right now and learn more about beef genetics by clicking here http://www.irishblacks.com.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire