The
Red Poll is a dual purpose breed of cattle developed in England
in the
latter half of the 19th century.
Description and uses
The cattle are red, preferably deep red with white only on the tail
switch and udder. They are naturally
polled (without horns). Red Poll cattle are
mainly used as
beef suckler cows
although there are a few
milking herds
in England. They are known for easy calving and successfully
rearing a high proportion of their calves.
They do well on poor
soils such as the thin sands of many parts of East Anglia
.
History
The Red Poll originated as a cross between
Norfolk Red
beef-type cattle and
Suffolk Dun dairy cattle (both of
these breeds are now extinct). The parent Suffolk breed was also
polled – Norfolk cattle had horns but the gene for horns was bred
out in the Red Poll breed. The original name for the breed, adopted
in 1863, was
Norfolk and Suffolk Red Polled cattle, and
the first standard description was agreed in 1873, with the first
herd book compiled in 1874. The breed became the
Red
Polled in 1883, and then
Red Poll in 1888, when the
Red Poll Cattle Society was formed.
Red Poll cattle were introduced to the United States by G. P.
Taber of
New York
State
in 1873.
These cattle were imported into Australia in the mid 1800s where
they are now used for beef production. The first identified breeder
in Australia was James Graves, around 1870, although there is
evidence of earlier herds.
The Red
Poll breed was first brought to New Zealand
in 1898, but a herd was not established until 1917,
when 22 animals were transported from Australia.The Red Poll
dual purpose bred is the oldest registered breed in the United
States and is celebrating its 125th year. The breed is beginning to
be re-introduced into some areas of the west for the small ranch
and backyard beef and 4H as docile nature makes them easy for the
novice. | publisher = Barb Rodgers | location = Davenport USA |
breeder | url = http://www.redpollusa.org |accessdate = 7 November
2009 |
Gallery
Image:Red_Poll_Cow_and_Calf.jpg|Red Poll cow and calf
Image:Red_Poll_Cambridge.jpg|Red Poll bullock
on Cambridge
Midsummer
Common
Image:Red_Poll_Face.jpg|Red Poll face
See also
- Senepol, a hybrid with African N'Dama cattle originating in the Virgin Islands.
- Sussex cattle, a horned red beef
breed from the south east of England.
- North Devon , a horned red
beef breed from Devon, Somerset and Cornwall.
References
External links
Wikis
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