Pembroke cattle were a breed of dual-purpose short-legged, hardy, black

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...

native to

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. A society was formed in 1867 to try to improve the breed, and the first register of Pembroke cattle was published in 1874. Pembroke cattle were registered with black cattle from

North Wales North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia N ...

in 1904, to create the Welsh Black breed.

Characteristics

Pembroke cattle were described as being coal black.

William Youatt William Youatt (1776 – 5 February 1847) was an English veterinary surgeon and animal welfare writer. Life Youatt was the son of a non-conformist minister. He was educated for the nonconformist ministry, and undertook ministerial and scholastic ...

said some had white faces and white about the udder, but this was ascribed to cross-breeding by Read. The horns which at first incline outwards and forwards, and then bend somewhat upwards and inwards, are light coloured with black tips. They were reported to be good

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digestion, digest solid food. Immune factors and immune ...

producers, with many being sold to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

town dairies. Historically they were well regarded for their suitability for droving to England for sale to Graziers. Store cattle of the breed were favoured for grazing in Sussex and

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, especially on the

Pevensey Levels Pevensey Levels is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest between Bexhill-on-Sea and Hailsham in East Sussex. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I, a Ramsar site and a Special Area of Conservation. An area of is a nati ...

,J. Bannister. A synopsis of husbandry, I799, p. 47 and many also went to the

English Midlands The Midlands (also referred to as Central England) are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England and Southern England. The Midlands were important in the Ind ...

History

The ancient breed was indigenous to the old Welsh counties of

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...

, and South Cardiganshire. There were distinct strains in the Castlemartin area of South Pembrokeshire and the Dewsland area of north Pembrokeshire. These cattle were locally regarded as hardier on the poor land than English dairy breeds such as the Shorthorn. Both types were later amalgamated into the Welsh Black breed for which a herdbook was opened in 1874. By the end of the 19th century some 25,000 black cattle from South Wales were being sold to England annually.

References

*Twm Elias, ''Welsh Farm Animals 1: Cattle'', Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 2000. Pembrokeshire Cattle breeds originating in Wales Cattle breeds {{cattle-stub