Dairy Shorthorn

The Shorthorn breed of cattle has evolved over the last two centuries, from Teeswater and Durham cattle found originally in the North East of England in the Tees river valley and Durham. In the late 18th Century two brothers, Charles and Robert Colling started to improve these Durham cattle using line breeding techniques established so successfully by Robert Bakewell on Longhorn cattle. In 1783 Charles Colling found four particular cows recorded as Duchess, Cherry, Strawberry, and Old Favourite among others, and at the same time his brother Robert had noticed the superiority of calves in the local market bred from a bull known as Hubback, which he subsequently bought for £8.

It was a combination of these bloodlines, which led to the birth of the bull Comet bred by Charles Colling in 1804, and later sold at the Ketton sale in 1810 for 1,000gns. This was the first 1,000 guinea bull ever recorded, but the wisdom of this bid was later to be justified by his progeny and he has since become a legend in cattle breeding.

The breed was used in the early part of the 20^th Century, primarily as a dual purpose breed, but specialisation for beef and milk led to the beef breeders starting their own section of the herd book in 1958.    more...

Upcoming Dairy Shorthorn Cattle Shows and Events

Royal New Zealand Show 2008
     Location: Canterbury Agricultural Park, Christchurch, New Zealand
     When: Friday 14th November 2008

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The Royal Highland Show
     Location: Royal Highland Show Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, EH28 8NB
     When: Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th June 2009

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The Great Yorkshire Show 2009
     Location: Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
     When: Tuesday 14th to Thursday 16th July 2009

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Latest Dairy Shorthorn Breed News

Friday, August 03, 2007
Foot and Mouth Disease confirmed in cattle, in Surrey, UK
UK - DEFRA have confirmed that following an investigation of suspected vesicular disease on a holding near Guildford in Surrey,...

More News...

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