CATTLE: Red Poll

Country of Origin: East Anglia, England, UK.

Category:

Came to Australia: Early 1800's.

Photo: Red Poll cow Yongerellen Esma Lantern. Photo from the  WA Red Poll Breeders Group.

Population in Australia. 2022: About 295 cows - moved from Recovering to Endangered category, based on ARCBA (via ABRI) numbers.  PLEASE NOTE. Numbers are low on registered firgures but in 2022 there are 80 known breeders (thanks to their Society tech man Boyd for help) . There are much larger numbers of commerical Red Poll cattle here.

History: Developed from Suffolk Duns and Norfolk Reds. UK breed Society formed in 1888. First breed standard written in 1874. Originally used far more as a milk cow than for beef. Excellent cheese also made.

A known stud of them in NSW in the 1870's. First breed organisation in Australia formed in 1918. The Society here has always been proactive getting them to shows and encouraging youth handlers and breeders. 

Breed Traits: Beef breed. Red colour, white switch on tail. Udder may be white or have a white patch..

Naturally polled. Once dual purpose, milk and meat, so still have a good milk supply - thus, calves thrive and grow quickly. 

A good forager. Excellent for crossing to other breeds for their rich milk, stocky build and good qualities.

Easy calving. Long lived. Fertile. Docile. Being polled, they tend to stay in a herd and not wander. 

Some herds are still milked in the UK, each cow giving about 5,000 litres of milk a year with 4.2% butterfat - high -  and 3.5% protein. The milk makes good cheeses. Their biggest Red Poll dairy, Belvoir, sadly closed in 2022 and the animals now used for beef producation. Breed is rare in its homeland.

The beef is very flavoursome and wins many taste competitions; it's marbled and finely grained, and notably tender.

Hopefully people will register more stud animals -  as registered numbers are low but there is a healthy unregistered population in Australia. Please do it for your breed! 

Organisation:  Australian Red Poll Cattle Breeders Inc 

Page by Janet Lane August 2022.