The Shetland Cattle Breeders Association

Why You Should Keep Shetland Cattle

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Shetlands will not suit everyone. If you are an intensive beef farmer, relying heavily on concentrates, they are not for you. But if you want a resilient easy care animal, perfectly adapted to a grass based system, we believe they offer a unique combination of attributes:
Boquhapples Evergreen and Jess with their owner Boquhapples Evergreen and Jess with their owner Photo © Kate Sankey
  • Hardy
  • Self sufficient
  • Readily out-winter
  • Thrive on poor grazing
  • Good browsers
  • Little or no need for concentrates
  • Long lived
  • Small/medium size
  • Dual purpose breed
  • Milky
  • High quality beef
  • Calm, easy to handle
  • High fertility
  • Easy calving
  • Can be crossed to both native and the largest continental breeds
  • Good mothers
  • Finish off grass within 30 months
  • Aesthetically attractive
More detail on these attributes can be found by clicking on the following links: The Smallholder's Cow The Shetland Cow in Conservation Grazing The Shetland Cow in Commercial Beef Farming
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