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Realising added-value in native British breeds of beef cattle*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2011

G. L. H. Alderson
G. L. H. Alderson
Affiliation:
Traditional Livestock Foundation, 6 Harnage, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY5 6EJ, UK
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Summary

Native breeds of beef cattle in Britain have been superseded by imported breeds since the 1960s, but a changing market in the 1990s has begun to restore traditional values. The distinctive qualities of native breeds are becoming more relevant, and the White Park is a prime example of their importance. This paper makes a critical evaluation of several studies of White Park cattle that have been carried out, namely productivity in non-intensive systems of management, assessment of type and function by linear measurements, quality of product (meat), and value in crossing programmes. It concludes that breeds such as the White Park derive significant added value as a result of their native adaptability and the high quality of their beef, and that they benefit from a market driven by consumers rather than supermarkets. The use of different linear measurements is proposed, and the effective use of White Park bulls in crossing programmes is demonstrated.

Resumen

Las razas bovinas nativas en Gran Bretaña han sido sustituidas por razas importadas desde los años sesenta, pero un mercado cambiante en los noventa ha empezado a restaurar los valores tradicionales. Las cualidades distintivas de las razas nativas se están convirtiendo en mas relevantes, y el White Park es un primer ejemplo de su importancia. Este trabajo hace una evaluación crítica de varios estudios sobre el bovino White Park que han sido llevados a cabo, a saber: productividad en sistemas de manejo no intensivos, evaluación del tipo y función por mediciones lineales, calidad de productos (carne), y valor en programas de cruzamiento. Se concluye que razas tales como el bovino White Park derivan un valor añadido adicional como resultado de su adaptabilidad natural y la alta calidad de su carne, y que ellos son beneficiarios de un mercado conducido por los consumidores y no por los supermercados. El uso de diferentes medidas lineales se propone, y el uso efectivo de los toros White Park en programas de cruzamiento es demostrado.

Keywords

Beef cattleWhite Park cattleNon-intensive productionLinear measurements
Type
Research Articles
Information
Animal Genetic Resources/Resources génétiques animales/Recursos genéticos animales , Volume 27 , April 2000 , pp. 1 - 7
Copyright
Copyright © Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2000

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References

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