Senepol Cattle Breed – Everything You Need to Know

All those that can remember a popular doll called the Kewpie doll will remember their distinctive pointed heads. The Senepol cattle breeds heads have the Kewpie dolls point where their poll is.
Their deep-set foreheads usually have a few crinkles of skin making them look as if they are constantly frowning at you or looking on at you in idle amusement. They are a really unique breed of cattle that are quite well behaved and docile even if their cow stares seem like they are scrutinizing a person.

SENEPOL CATTLE BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
They are a descendant of the popular Red Poll cattle breed and exhibit the same good quality of meat and have the best of their features.
Country of Origin:	America
Other Names:	None
Main Purpose:	Meat
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Can be used for	Breed, Meat
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most Climates
Conservation Status:	Not Listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: Not at risk
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Cattle?	Novice to intermediate Cattle farmer/keeper level
Cattle Associations:	Senepol Cattle Breeders Association, American Senepol Association, The Australian Senepol Cattle Breeders Association and Senepol South Africa (SA)
Cattle Clubs:	Please refer to the websites of the Senepol Cattle Breeders Association, American Senepol Association, The Australian Senepol Cattle Breeders Association and Senepol South Africa (SA) for more information on the breed
Where to buy them?	Please refer to the websites of the Senepol Cattle Breeders Association, American Senepol Association, The Australian Senepol Cattle Breeders Association and Senepol South Africa (SA) for more information on the breed
Child Friendly?	Livestock should not be left unattended around unsupervised children
General Information:	The lineage of this breed has made them a hardy breed that can adapt to move climates and environment. They have a very high tolerance for the heat. Selective breeding has developed this breed into a quiet, docile and very easy to handle breed of cattle that are naturally polled. They live quite long lives, so it cuts down costs on herd replacement, have robust calves with easy births and have an excellent immune system making the quite disease resistant. Their pigmented skin makes them less likely to get skin damage or sunburn and their thick skin make them less desirable to blood sucking parasites.
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

They are a medium to large frame breed with the usual cow block shaped bodies and very distinct heads that point where their poll is, deep set forehead and a long face ending in a slightly upturned nose. They have medium to long sturdy legs. The males have a long body with a beefy neck, a slight hump between the shoulders and a well-rounded rump. Their legs are quite short compared to the bulk of their bodies and they have a small tight dewlap

Size:

Medium to large

CATTLE ⇒	COW	BULL
Breed Color:	Red, black or brown	Red, black or brown
Breed Weight:	550 to 650 kgs	930 kgs
Breed Height:	Unclear	Unclear
Horns:	Polled	Polled
Temperament:	Docile alert but easy to handle	Docile, alert but easy to handle although care must be taken around bulls at all times.
Matures at age:	6 to 8 months or 9 + months	6 to 8 months or 9 + months
Puberty Age:	6 to 15 months	9 to 1o months
Breeding Age:	13 to 15 months	1 year
Breeding Traits:	See Cow breeding & Milking Info	Cover 25 to 30 Cows in 1 season

COW BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION
Most Cattle produce milk but not all of them are used in the dairy Cattle capacity for their milk. Cows only calve once a year and should have 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. They are good mothers that love and take care of their calves. They are quite fertile and breed well having easy births with little to no need for assistance. They are not really used for their milk production as their milk yield is not really that good.
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 6 to 24 hours Most ave. 12 to 16 hours Cows usually come on heat every 21 days.
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days to 24 days Heifer – usually ave. 20 days Cows – usually ave. 21 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 279 to 287 days but most gestation is 283 days. Cows that are carrying bull calf’s their gestation period is usually a little longer than cows that are carrying heifer calves.
No. Calves/Litter:	1 calf at a time. Cows rarely have twins or triplets, but it can happen
Lactation Period:	Cows lactation period can last for up to about 10 months (305) days.
Milking From:	1 to 6 weeks after Calving
Drying off Period:	The cow should have a 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. Drying off period for around 60 days before she can calve again.
Milk Quality:	Good
Milk Ideal for:	Calves
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CATTLE MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Their meat is of good quality and much the same as that of the Red Poll cattle breeds meat. Their carcasses have a good finish weight with a good meat to bone ration. Good marbeling for a tender flavorful meat.

Meat Production?

Yes, Quality: Good

CATTLE ⇒	VEAL	BEEF
Ave. Maturity Age:	6 to 8 months	9 months up to 4 years

CATTLE SKIN PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Most meat Cattle will have a skin by-product, and these are usually used in some form or just as a hide. Their skin may be used for various leather products as a by-product of their meat production

Skin Production?

N/A

Skin is used to Produce:

Calf/cow skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, handbags, belts, furniture, rugs, etc.

CATTLE ⇒	CALF	ADULT
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months for Calf skin	1 to 2 years old for Normal leather

HISTORY

The Senepol cattle breed are an admixed breed of cattle developed from breeds such as the N’Dama and a cattle breed from the St. Croix Island on which the Senepol cattle breed were developed.

These admixed cattle were selected for the solid red color, natural polling and for their tolerance to the heat.
The name Senepol was adapted in 1954 with a breed registry established in the late 1960s which were aided by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Today there are over 500 breeders with more than 14000 registered heads of cattle. They can also be found in various countries around the world such as South Africa, Botswana, Mexico, Venezuela, Paraguay, Philippines, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Australia, Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.