Pedigree Welsh Black
A Welsh Black, part of one of the few Welsh Black herds in East Anglia, on Herringfleet marshes, Suffolk.
The Welsh Black is a native British breed descended from cattle of pre-Roman Britain in the rough mountain and hill country of Wales. There is evidence that the breed, or its forerunners, existed in Roman times and it has been suggested that the breed is based on cattle from the Iberian Peninsula. It has been speculated that the extinct black cattle of Cornwall was a breed closely related to the Welsh Black.
Certainly black cattle have been bred in Wales for well over 1,000 years and, as in Scotland and many other parts of Britain, were often used as currency. This gave rise to the description of the Welsh Black as 'the black gold from the Welsh hills'.
Up until the early 1970's the Welsh Black was regarded as a dual purpose breed for both dairy and beef production. There were two distinct strains of the breed, the stocky North Wales beef type and the more dairy like South Wales or Castlemartin animal. The successful intermingling of these types over the past 90 years has resulted in an optimum sized animal with an emphasis on beef production. The unique traits of the breed are a result of this heredity and environment.
Welsh Black cattle are large sized animals with the average body weight of a mature cow being about 1,325 to 1,760 lb. (600 to 800 kg) and a mature bulls weighing on average about 2,100 to 2,535 lb. (950 to 1150 kg), and sometimes more. The majority are black, varying from rusty black to jet black. Red individuals occur occasionally, red and other colours were more common in the past. They generally have white horns with black tips, but these may be removed, and there are also naturally hornless (polled) animals, both black and red.
The Welsh Black's formidable reputation has been built on the breed’s capability to thrive on marginal and upland areas. There, its foraging habit makes it ideal for rough pasture such as heathland and moorland, and for conservation grazing. The breed is hardy and adaptable, neither cold or rain seem to worry them, as the experience of Canadian and New Zealand breeders have confirmed. It is common to see them grazing happily in the open in driving rain or snow when other types of cattle have gone in search of shelter. They develop a thick winter coat, which is usually shed in spring.
In the past Welsh drovers would drive their herds to English markets. Herds from south west Wales travelled towards Hereford and Gloucester up the Tywi Valley to Llandovery. Herds from South Cardiganshire reached Llandovery through Llanybydder and Llansawel. The drovers would then return to Wales with large amounts of money, which made them targets of bandits and highwaymen. The result was the formation in 1799 of the Banc yr Eidon in Llandovery, the Bank of the Black Ox, which was later purchased by Lloyds Bank.
Today Welsh Blacks found throughout the UK, however they are on the list of endangered native breeds in Wales. Over the past 30 years they have travelled to Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Jamaica.
Pedigree Welsh Black
A Welsh Black, part of one of the few Welsh Black herds in East Anglia, on Herringfleet marshes, Suffolk.
The Welsh Black is a native British breed descended from cattle of pre-Roman Britain in the rough mountain and hill country of Wales. There is evidence that the breed, or its forerunners, existed in Roman times and it has been suggested that the breed is based on cattle from the Iberian Peninsula. It has been speculated that the extinct black cattle of Cornwall was a breed closely related to the Welsh Black.
Certainly black cattle have been bred in Wales for well over 1,000 years and, as in Scotland and many other parts of Britain, were often used as currency. This gave rise to the description of the Welsh Black as 'the black gold from the Welsh hills'.
Up until the early 1970's the Welsh Black was regarded as a dual purpose breed for both dairy and beef production. There were two distinct strains of the breed, the stocky North Wales beef type and the more dairy like South Wales or Castlemartin animal. The successful intermingling of these types over the past 90 years has resulted in an optimum sized animal with an emphasis on beef production. The unique traits of the breed are a result of this heredity and environment.
Welsh Black cattle are large sized animals with the average body weight of a mature cow being about 1,325 to 1,760 lb. (600 to 800 kg) and a mature bulls weighing on average about 2,100 to 2,535 lb. (950 to 1150 kg), and sometimes more. The majority are black, varying from rusty black to jet black. Red individuals occur occasionally, red and other colours were more common in the past. They generally have white horns with black tips, but these may be removed, and there are also naturally hornless (polled) animals, both black and red.
The Welsh Black's formidable reputation has been built on the breed’s capability to thrive on marginal and upland areas. There, its foraging habit makes it ideal for rough pasture such as heathland and moorland, and for conservation grazing. The breed is hardy and adaptable, neither cold or rain seem to worry them, as the experience of Canadian and New Zealand breeders have confirmed. It is common to see them grazing happily in the open in driving rain or snow when other types of cattle have gone in search of shelter. They develop a thick winter coat, which is usually shed in spring.
In the past Welsh drovers would drive their herds to English markets. Herds from south west Wales travelled towards Hereford and Gloucester up the Tywi Valley to Llandovery. Herds from South Cardiganshire reached Llandovery through Llanybydder and Llansawel. The drovers would then return to Wales with large amounts of money, which made them targets of bandits and highwaymen. The result was the formation in 1799 of the Banc yr Eidon in Llandovery, the Bank of the Black Ox, which was later purchased by Lloyds Bank.
Today Welsh Blacks found throughout the UK, however they are on the list of endangered native breeds in Wales. Over the past 30 years they have travelled to Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Jamaica.