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A Cut Above The Rest
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Breed Standards.htm

British White:  Calving and Fertility
 

Ranchers are in the business of raising cattle for meat. A cow that does not produce a calf every twelve months is just a wasted expense; ranchers need to have cattle that produce calves each year in order to stay ahead in the beef industry. Some breeds can boast of wonderful meat, but it may take several tries to successfully breed each cow. However, with the British White, fertility is never an issue. The British White may just be one of the most fertile breeds available. In addition, the British White calves easily, and is also able to produce more than enough milk to feed a growing calf.

The British White has a long history. There is some doubt about whether the breed was indigenous to the British Isles or whether it was brought to England by the Romans. Either way, the breed spent much of its history as wild cattle. The breed's strong fertility may have come about as a result of having to survive natural selection; a wild environment meant that the cattle had to reproduce more prolifically to survive. Whatever the reason, ranchers report that the British White rarely misses calving each year, and some cows have continued to produce calves until they reach 20 years of age. British White bulls are extremely fertile; one can easily handle a herd of up to 50 cows. The bulls are also docile and easy to handle when compared to other breeds.

British White calves are born weighing approximately 75-85 pounds. This low birth weight makes for easy calving, without the complications of mal-positioned calves or prolapsed uterus. While these problems can occur, it is very rare. Again, perhaps due to the breed's history as wild cattle, natural births are the normal with the British White. This means ranchers can get more sleep, instead of worrying about cows calving with complications in the middle of the night. British White cows also have good maternal instincts, and first calf heifers claim their calves quickly.

At one point in history, the British White was used as a dairy cow, meaning that cows produce an ample milk supply for their calves. A British White cow can also support twins as easily as most cows support a single calf; ranchers with British White cows that have thrown twin calves report that milk supplementing was not necessary with this breed and when it comes to weaning, British White cows often wean calves weighing 500 pounds or more.

The British White is one of the most economical breeds available. In addition to providing more that 70% select beef, the breed is fertile and again, calves easily. If you are looking for a breed that provides great efficiency in breeding, raising, and carcass results, you should investigate British White Cattle.