Sussex cattle
Encyclopedia
Sussex cattle are a red breed of beef cattle
from the Weald
of Sussex
, Surrey
and Kent
in south eastern England
. Descended from the draught oxen long used on the Weald they were selectively bred from the late 18th century to form a modern beef breed which is now used in many countries around the world. They have a thin summer coat and many sweat glands, but grow a thick coat in winter, so they are suited to both hot summers and cold winters. They have a placid temperament but can be very stubborn.
strains have also been developed.
– the others include the North Devon
, the Hereford, the Lincoln Red
and the Red Poll
. All these breeds derive originally from the traditional multi-purpose red landrace
cattle of the region. Ox ploughing continued longer in the Weald and on the South Downs than in most parts of England, and so the Sussex remained until relatively recently as heavy boned, large shouldered, draught animals.
Arthur Young Junior wrote in the early 19th century that the cattle of the Weald "must be unquestionably ranked among the best of the kingdom." William Cobbett
in his Rural Rides also expressed surprise at finding some of the finest cattle on some of the most impoverished subsistence farms on the High Weald. The breed was numerous in Kent and the Wealden parts of Surrey as well as in Sussex in the late 18th century when Arthur Young toured Sussex and praised the breed in his book Agriculture of Sussex of 1793. He stayed at Petworth House
where the progressive 3rd Earl of Egremont
established a Sussex herd in Petworth Park which is still there today. High corn prices during the Napoleonic Wars
led to a lot of grassland on the Low Weald being ploughed up and cattle herds greatly declined. Later in the 19th century rail transport caused an increase in dairy farming to supply the London market with a consequent decline in beef cattle breeding. A herd book was established in 1874.
.
in the early 20th century and is popular in the North West Province where the breed society has its headquarters in Klerksdorp
.
in 1884 and had one hundred head in 1888
Beef cattle
Beef cattle are cattle raised for meat production . The meat of cattle is known as beef. When raised in a feedlot cattle are known as feeder cattle. Many such feeder cattle are born in cow-calf operations specifically designed to produce beef calves...
from the Weald
Weald
The Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
of Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
in south eastern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Descended from the draught oxen long used on the Weald they were selectively bred from the late 18th century to form a modern beef breed which is now used in many countries around the world. They have a thin summer coat and many sweat glands, but grow a thick coat in winter, so they are suited to both hot summers and cold winters. They have a placid temperament but can be very stubborn.
Description
The Sussex has a rich red-brown coat, with a creamy white switch to the tail. It is a medium-sized, long-bodied animal, and traditionally it has white horns, although naturally polledPolled livestock
Polled livestock are livestock without horns, of species that normally have them. The term refers both to breeds or strains which are naturally polled through selective breeding and also to naturally horned animals which have been dehorned...
strains have also been developed.
History
The Sussex is one of several similarly coloured breeds of southern EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
– the others include the North Devon
North Devon cattle
The Devon is a breed of cattle from the south west of England. It is a rich red colour, and this gives rise to the popular nicknames of Devon Ruby or Red Ruby...
, the Hereford, the Lincoln Red
Lincoln Red
The Lincoln Red is an old breed of beef cattle, originating from Lincolnshire in eastern England. They were selectively bred from the indigenous draught cattle of the region by crossing with the Durham type Shorthorn to produce a dual purpose breed. They are now exclusively a beef breed.Lincoln Red...
and the Red Poll
Red Poll
The Red Poll is a dual purpose breed of cattle developed in England in the latter half of the 19th century.-Description and uses:The cattle are red, preferably deep red with white only on the tail switch and udder. They are naturally polled...
. All these breeds derive originally from the traditional multi-purpose red landrace
Landrace
A landrace is a local variety of a domesticated animal or plant species which has developed largely by natural processes, by adaptation to the natural and cultural environment in which it lives. It differs from a formal breed which has been bred deliberately to conform to a particular standard...
cattle of the region. Ox ploughing continued longer in the Weald and on the South Downs than in most parts of England, and so the Sussex remained until relatively recently as heavy boned, large shouldered, draught animals.
Arthur Young Junior wrote in the early 19th century that the cattle of the Weald "must be unquestionably ranked among the best of the kingdom." William Cobbett
William Cobbett
William Cobbett was an English pamphleteer, farmer and journalist, who was born in Farnham, Surrey. He believed that reforming Parliament and abolishing the rotten boroughs would help to end the poverty of farm labourers, and he attacked the borough-mongers, sinecurists and "tax-eaters" relentlessly...
in his Rural Rides also expressed surprise at finding some of the finest cattle on some of the most impoverished subsistence farms on the High Weald. The breed was numerous in Kent and the Wealden parts of Surrey as well as in Sussex in the late 18th century when Arthur Young toured Sussex and praised the breed in his book Agriculture of Sussex of 1793. He stayed at Petworth House
Petworth House
Petworth House in Petworth, West Sussex, England, is a late 17th-century mansion, rebuilt in 1688 by Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, and altered in the 1870s by Anthony Salvin...
where the progressive 3rd Earl of Egremont
George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont
George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont was a British peer. A direct descendant of Sir John Wyndham, he succeeded to his father's titles in 1763 at the age of 12, inheriting estates at Petworth, Egremont, Leconfield and land in Wiltshire and Somerset. He later inherited the lands of the Earl...
established a Sussex herd in Petworth Park which is still there today. High corn prices during the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
led to a lot of grassland on the Low Weald being ploughed up and cattle herds greatly declined. Later in the 19th century rail transport caused an increase in dairy farming to supply the London market with a consequent decline in beef cattle breeding. A herd book was established in 1874.
Great Britain
The stronghold of Sussex cattle in Britain remains the Wealden counties of Sussex, Kent and Surrey, but they are not particularly common even there, and are rare elsewhere in Great BritainGreat Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Australia
The breed is used in Australia, where it arrived in the early 1970s. A polled strain has been selected.New Zealand
Introduced into New Zealand in 1970 they are classed as a rare breed with only three breeders listed.South Africa
The breed was introduced to South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in the early 20th century and is popular in the North West Province where the breed society has its headquarters in Klerksdorp
Klerksdorp, North West
Klerksdorp is a city and administrative district located in the North West Province, South Africa.-History:The city was founded in 1837 when the Voortrekkers settled on the banks of the Schoonspruit , which flows through the town...
.
United States
John Overton Lea imported Sussex cattle to TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in 1884 and had one hundred head in 1888
External links
- UK Sussex Cattle Society
- http://www.bahs.org.uk/20n1a2.pdf The Sussex Breed of Cattle in the Nineteenth Century by J P Boxall