Cattle : Luing

Country of Origin

Isle of Luing, Scotland, UK

Australian Status

Uses

Beef

Breed Traits

• Red, gold, white or a combination in coat colour. Red is the dominant colour. Grow a thick winter coat. Long lived.
• Hardy. Thrive in very cold climates. Thrive on rough grazing, naturally marbled beef off pasture.
• Great mothers, fertile, ease of calving, a maternal breed.  Calves gain weight and mature quickly.
• Naturally polled. Occasional scurs. Medium sized cattle, cows average 500 kilos and bulls 950 kilos.
• Good feet.
• Very good, placid temperament.

History

Pronounced ling.  Developed on the isle of Luing, off the west coast of Scotland. From the late 1947 the Cadzow brothers, Ralph, Denis and Shane, created the breed using beef Shorthorn-Scottish Highland crosses. The crossbreds were inbred and linebred for several generations. This is essentially the Luing breed now. Some sources say an old cattle line on the island was included in the mix. In 1966 the British government officially recognised the breed. First sent to Canada in 1973, and New Zealand in 1975; now in several countries outside the UK such as America and Australia, but not out of rare status numbers anywhere.

Society and Herdbook started in 1965. Showing was not allowed, to keep the breed strong and not bred for fashionable aesthetics, and undersized bulls not registered.

History in Australia

They arrived in Australia in the 1970s.

Breed Organisation

There is no breed organisation in Australia.

A farm in Tasmania breeding Luing:  Tasmanian Luing Cattle

In the UK:  The Luing Cattle Society

Australian Population

2022: estimated 75

Photo Credit

Top: Cattle near Nant-y-Brain, Powys, by Roger Kidd, Geographe website

Bottom:  Auctions Plus website, of Luing heifers for sale in Tasmania, February 2022

Page by Janet Lane

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