Breeds in focus

The Albion / 16 January

The 1967 outbreak of foot-and-mouth had a devastating impact on the Albion, or Bakewell blue, already one of our rarest native breeds of cattle, decimating many herds. The history of the Albion is uncertain, but this Derbyshire native is thought to have descended from the Welsh black, a dual-purpose breed, crossed with a white dairy shorthorn. It was once known as the blue Albion, as many individuals are an attractive blue roan, but a variety of other colours occur within the breed, from white to mainly black.

The Albion has been recognised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and added to its watchlist. The breed reached its peak popularity a century ago, while its survival today is due to a few individuals who worked hard to ensure its recovery, swapping bulls to retain genetic diversity within their herds.

Albions are now on the Rare Breed Survival Trust’s watchlist