Though easily confused with the white park, which has wide, sweeping horns, the British white is a naturally polled breed. It shares many features with the white park, including its mainly white colour with black (or red) points on the muzzle, ears, feet and teats. It is known for its toughness, as it can winter outside in most conditions. Another plus point is the longevity and high fertility of the cows.
The British white was long regarded as a dual-purpose breed, producing both milk and beef, but few, if any, are now milked commercially. Fifty years ago, numbers were perilously low, but a growing appreciation of our old traditional breeds, fostered by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, has helped restore the British white’s fortunes and it is no longer listed…
