Irish Moiled Cattle - Livestock showcase - Scottish Smallholder Festival 2020
The Irish Moiled is one of our rarest and most distinctive native cattle breeds. Traditionally a dairy cow, it has earned the reputation as a truly dual purpose animal, producing both high quality beef and milk from grass.
They are a hornless (polled) breed, red in colour and characteristically marked by a white line or ‘finching’ on the back and white under parts with red ears and red nose. But they can vary from white with red ears and nose to nearly all red. The face is often roan or flecked.
The name Moile (or Maol) is derived from the Gaelic language and relates to the distinctive dome or mound on top of the head.
They are of medium size (a mature cow can weigh up to 650kg) and are generally easy to handle with a placid docile temperament. Animals are also easily maintained on less acreage and less concentrate than many other cattle breeds.
This video is part of the rare and native breed livestock showcase for the 2020 Scottish Smallholder Festival, organised by Smallholding Scotland.
Produced by The Irish Moiled Cattle Society, with thanks to Sally Crowe, The Croft, Keiss.
Irish Moiled Cattle Society: www.irishmoiledcattlesociety....
Scottish Smallholder Festival: ssgf.uk/
Smallholding Scotland: smallholding.scot/
Supported by The Scottish Government and SRUC.
Scottish Government: www.gov.scot/
SRUC: www.sruc.ac.uk