List of Irish cattle breeds
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of the cattle breeds considered in Ireland to be wholly or partly of Irish origin. Some may have complex or obscure histories, so inclusion here does not necessarily imply that a breed is predominantly or exclusively Irish.
| Name | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|
| Bó Riabhach[1] | In 2024, the numbers stood at 150. |  |
| Dexter[1][2][3][4] | Originated in the eighteenth century in County Kerry, in south-western Ireland |  |
| Originated in the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry | ||
| Irish Dun | A breed reputed to have been introduced to Ireland by the Vikings. A 1974 survey conducted by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust found three cows and no bulls, by December 1975 the breed was considered extinct.[7] | |
| Originated in counties Leitrim, Sligo, Down, and Donegal |  |
| Kerry[1][2][3][4] | Believed to be one of the oldest breeds in Europe |  |
| Tory Island | Critically endangered | |
| White Park[4] | Mentioned in the ancient Irish epic, Táin Bó Cúailnge (The Cattle Raid of Cooley)[6] Not listed as an Irish breed by the Irish Rare Breeds Society, the Irish Native Rare Breed Society, the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage or the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations[1][2][3][4][5] |  |
Imported breeds
References
- Irish Rare Breeds Society. Accessed March 2026.
- Irish Native Rare Breed Society. Accessed March 2026.
- Native Irish Cattle Breeding. Ireland’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Accessed March 2026.
- Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
- Breed data sheet: Ireland, Cattle. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed March 2026.
- History of White Park Cattle. White Park Cattle Society Ltd. Accessed March 2026.
- Ralph Whitlock (1980). Rare breeds: The vulnerable survivors. Dorchester: Prism Press. ISBN 0904727874, page 33.
