Welsh Black Cattle Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Welsh Black cattle breed are medium to large cattle that are extremely hardy and adaptive cattle having originated from the rocky hills of the Welsh countryside. Their thick coat bulks ups to help them through the treacherous winters whilst in the summer they slim down to cope with the hot summer weather. Their black skin helps ward off sunburn as they graze in the heat of the afternoon.

WELSH BLACK CATTLE BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
The Welsh Black cattle breed is a dual-purpose breed of cattle that originates from Wales and is descended from cattle from Pre-Roman Britain.
Country of Origin:	Wales
Other Names:	None
Main Purpose:	Meat
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Can be used for	Breed, Meat, Milk
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:	The Welsh Black Cattle Society and Canadian Welsh Black Cattle Society
Cattle Clubs:	Please refer to The Welsh Black Cattle Society and Canadian Welsh Black Cattle Society for more information on clubs and breeders for the Welsh Black cattle breed.
Where to buy them?	Please refer to The Welsh Black Cattle Society and Canadian Welsh Black Cattle Society for more information on clubs and breeders for the Welsh Black cattle breed.
Child Friendly?	Livestock should not be left unattended around unsupervised children
General Information:	The Welsh Black cattle breed can thrive in conditions and live on diets that other cattle breeds that are not as adaptive as they could not. They can withstand both the extreme cold weather with their coats bulking up over their thick hides. This allows the animal to keep warm in the winter without having to put on excess amounts of fat thus keeping their meat quite lean. The Black Welsh cattle breed can also withstand the heat as they shed their thick coats for the hotter season and tend to sleek right down for a neat summer body.
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The cow of the Welsh Black cattle breed has a blockier body type with a long rectangular head ending in an upturned snout. The bull is stockier with more bulk and rounder head ending in an upturned snout. They have medium sized legs that look a bit short in comparison to their bodies, they also have a thick shaggy coat which helps with the cold and to ward off parasites.

Size:

Medium to large

CATTLE ⇒	COW	BULL
Breed Color:	Black	Black
Breed Weight:	600 to 800 kgs	950 to 1150 kgs
Breed Height:	Unclear	Unclear
Horns:	They can be horned but are usually dehorned young or there is also the polled variety	They can be horned but are usually dehorned young or there is also the polled variety
Temperament:	Docile and easy to handle	Docile and easy to handle. The bull is rather larger and even without horns should always be regarded with caution.
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. The Welsh Black cow has been selected for their dairy throughout history. They have a good milk yield with 4% butterfat content although today they are mostly used as a beef breed of cattle. They make good mothers with good maternal instincts, easy calving and little to no birthing problems. They are protective of their young and will not stray too far from them.
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 – 4 % Butterfat content
Milk Ideal for:	Calves
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CATTLE MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

The Welsh Black cattle breed is of good quality, tenderness, succulent and great taste. The cattle have a thick hide with dense hair which protects them in the cold and cuts down on the need for them to have a thick outer layer of fat on their carcass. They slaughter at around a year of age at weights of between 1100 to 1300 pounds having a lean carcass, excellent marbling for tenderness and above average cutability.

Meat Production?

Yes, Quality: Excellent

CATTLE ⇒	VEAL	BEEF
Ave. Maturity Age:	1 year	13 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. They are not specifically bred for the skin, but it is a by-product of their meat production. They yield a thick durable hide that is good for various leather products.

Skin Production?

No, Quality: Good

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 Welsh Black cattle breed is thought to be one of the oldest British breeds of cattle and has inhabited the windswept Welsh hills since pre-Christian and pre-Roman times.
When the Britons retreated west to evade the Saxon invasion these cattle were their most prized possessions.

There is some evidence of the breed or rather a black breed of cattle bearing the same statures as the Welsh Black cattle breed in Wales that dates back over 1000 years.

The term “the black gold from the Welsh hills” was used to refer to them as they were a dual or rather tri-purpose breed that drovers would herd for weeks to go sell at various English markets returning home to Wales with a pocket full of money. This, unfortunately, left the drovers vulnerable to robbery undertaken by highwaymen. In order to resolve this issue, the “Bank of the Black Ox” was formed and is still around today but evolved into Lloyds Bank.

The Black Welsh was much used as a dual-purpose breed right up until the late 1970s. But as with most true dual-purpose breeds, some of the breeds performed better as a dairy breed whilst others as a beef breed thus two distinct strains of the breed evolved.
These were the North Wales type which was a stocky beef type and the type that was more suitable for dairy which was the type found in South Wales (Castlemartin).

The Welsh Black cattle breed of modern times, however, is a breed that is strong, with medium sized suckler dames and bulls that are well muscled. They are a well-balanced mix of both dairy and beef producing cattle.