Cattle



British White Cattle are a minority breed, recognised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. As a specific breed, they can be dated back to the early 1500s where they were first domesticated from wild parkland cattle, roaming the forest of Bowland in Lancashire.

British Whites were traditionally a dual purpose breed (milk and meat) until the comparatively recent rise of continental breeds, which offered higher specialist yields in either milk or meat production. British Whites then became beef cattle. The demands of mass production, calling for quick finishing animals, and a subsidy system based on throughput and numbers of livestock kept on farm, hastened the decline of traditional breeds, including the British White.

Now that old style subsidies have gone, farmers have the opportunity to stand back and re-assess how they farm their land. Supermarkets are our current consumer Super Power, and their influence on choice and price should never be under-estimated. Nevertheless, there is a growing minority of people who care about what they eat, where their food has come from and how it has been produced.

It is a small window of opportunity, that is offering farmers a niche market, and a way to differentiate themselves from the intensive food production units with their huge economies of scale. It is a chance to re-introduce native, minority breeds, and return to traditional ways of farming them - with an emphasis on quality, environmental responsibility and premium product.

Establishing the Dove herd of British Whites has been a new move for us, and one that we are delighted to make. We look forward to building up our numbers and finishing some top quality beef, on the excellent grazing we have here. We have a long way to go yet, before we can say we have a profitable beef enterprise. Ask us how we are doing when you visit!

Characteristics of the British White, as set out by the British White Cattle Society.

1 healthy, hardy and long lived
2 lean and fast growing
3 good milky mothers
4 naturally polled (no horns)
5 easy calving
6 natural foragers
7 excellent feet and legs
8 docile
9 colour marked (white with black points, sometimes mottled)


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