British White Cattle A Breed For All Seasons
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British White Cattle A Breed for all Seasons.
Beef ranchers graze their cattle on some of the most unforgiving terrain
in the world. Range land is generally range land because it is unsuitable for anything else, and while it often has
good grass in some spots it can be rugged and wild in others. Choosing a breed that can survive difficult
conditions is vital to ranchers, as even one lost or malnourished animal can hit hard on the balance sheet. The
British White is the perfect choice for breeders who graze their cattle in the wild, and is also a good choice for
those who farm in either warm or extremely cold locales.
The British White has a long and distinguished history. The breed has been
linked to the Romans, who occupied Britain until around 400 A.D. When the Romans left, the cattle were released
into the wild, where they survived without human intervention for more than a thousand years. Much of the breed's
hardiness can be attributed to this long period of natural selection; the cattle that could not survive were slowly
weeded out, and only the strongest and most hardy examples of the breed were allowed by nature to continue. Since
the breed was re-domesticated in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, selective breeding has only enhanced the
strengths of the breed.
One of the keys to the British White's hardiness is its ability to survive
on lean pasture. Animals released onto the range will survive and thrive, even in the most difficult years; a
result, perhaps, of the breed having to survive all kinds of difficulties during its long years in the wild. Mama
cows produce more than enough milk to raise their calves and produce enough milk to handle the high incidence of
twins in the breed. If you are forced to sacrifice feeding with grain due to economic or drought conditions, you
can still expect your British White cattle to do very well on grass. Another bonus is that if your range land is
remote, you can release your cows without worrying too much about calving; the British White has a history of easy
calving, with calves born in the 70 pound range with low polled heads.
The breed can also survive the coldest of winters with as much ease as
they weather the warmest conditions on the planet; the British White is raised all over North America as well as in
Brazil and Australia. The breed has a natural resistance to diseases like viral pneumonia and tuberculosis, and
rarely experience hoof problems.
Many breeds of cattle are available from which ranchers can choose.
However, if you ranch in difficult conditions, or if you are starting your herd on a tight budget, the British
White is an excellent all-around choice. This unique breed has a hardiness that allows it to survive difficult
conditions, save you money on veterinarians and medicine, and still produces choice and select grade beef. When it
comes to quality cattle, the British White is by far the most superior choice.
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