BRITISH WHITE CATTLE CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTRIBUTES

The following information applies to purebred British White Cattle and therefore most crosses in Australia and USA will have varying degrees of these characteristics.
Breeders and enthusiasts are cautioned to check blood percentages before making claims about particular cattle or herds. With the introduction of pure bred stock to Australia from the UK in 1984 and the availability of semen from approved British White bulls for general use in 1986, the following attributes will, in the near future become fully accepted.

1. A full visual description of the breed is as follows: White coat on blue or dark pigmented skin. Black points, viz muzzle, nose, ears, eyelids, teats of cows, rudimentary teats of bulls, legs with a splash of colour or spots of colour on the front of each fetlock, black hooves, black tongue is desirable. Some cattle appear in the breed with red points, but still retain the foregoing makings. The Society makes no distinction on colour other than noting the red pointed animals. The body is usually marked with a splash or spots of colour on the neck, dollar spots on the flanks or back and quite frequently breech marks. Mature cows weigh to 650 kgs and mature bulls to one tonne.

2. Milking ability is a strong point in favour of the breed. British Whites were for many years an important feature of English dairy herds where regular flows were required with suitable butterfat levels. They have well set udders with minimum of fatty tissue and medium sized teats that hold their shape. There is less likelihood of unsucked quarters and generally there is a freedom from associated problems.

3. Excellent mothering ability by individual females, also incorporating the nursery system of a guard cow protecting groups of calves whiles the remainder of the herd grazes. Although this characteristic is known in some breeds of cattle, it is highly developed in British Whites and is of great benefit in areas where wild dogs or other predators are a concern.

4. Naturally polled. Being a dominant gene this feature is an advantage in mixed breeding programmes.

5. The black points and pigmented skin eliminate the problems of eye cancer, sunburn or sunburnt teats and photosensitisation is unknown in this breed.

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