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For millennia, grazing cattle and sheep have shaped Britain's iconic landscapes, adding so much to our rich cultural and food heritage. In this thread, you will find out a bit more about a few 
breeds that you may not have heard of before... [1/14]
![For millennia, grazing cattle and sheep have shaped Britain's iconic landscapes, adding so much to our rich cultural and food heritage. In this thread, you will find out a bit more about a few breeds that you may not have heard of before... [1/14]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErIIRs8XUAEUbmG.jpg "For millennia, grazing cattle and sheep have shaped Britain's iconic landscapes, adding so much to our rich cultural and food heritage. In this thread, you will find out a bit more about a few breeds that you may not have heard of before... [1/14]")
breeds that you may not have heard of before... [1/14]
The White Park is one of the most ancient breeds of cattle native to the British Isles.
Herds of White Park were mentioned in Wales in the ninth century and in the thirteenth century in northern England. [2/14]
![The White Park is one of the most ancient breeds of cattle native to the British Isles.Herds of White Park were mentioned in Wales in the ninth century and in the thirteenth century in northern England. [2/14]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErH8V6jXEAAs7sa.jpg "The White Park is one of the most ancient breeds of cattle native to the British Isles.Herds of White Park were mentioned in Wales in the ninth century and in the thirteenth century in northern England. [2/14]")
Herds of White Park were mentioned in Wales in the ninth century and in the thirteenth century in northern England. [2/14]
They are large, white animals with black points on their muzzle, ears, eye-rims and feet. Their elegant wide-spreading horns are usually black-tipped, but very, very occasionally you may find one with red tips.
Find out more
[3/14] http://ow.ly/ZTly50D1AF9
Find out more
[3/14] http://ow.ly/ZTly50D1AF9
The Lincoln Longwool is a hardy breed that's suited to dry and cold conditions. They are one of the UK's largest, native breeds of sheep and as you can see, they have long, lustrous fleeces 
[4/14]
![The Lincoln Longwool is a hardy breed that's suited to dry and cold conditions. They are one of the UK's largest, native breeds of sheep and as you can see, they have long, lustrous fleeces [4/14]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErH8dfOW8AMFDi1.jpg "The Lincoln Longwool is a hardy breed that's suited to dry and cold conditions. They are one of the UK's largest, native breeds of sheep and as you can see, they have long, lustrous fleeces [4/14]")
[4/14]
By the 1750s, the breed was firmly established and was earning a good reputation for wool production, as was Lincolnshire.
Their fleeces grow at a rate of 1 inch per month and their wool is extremely popular with hand spinners.
Find out more [5/14] http://ow.ly/MVZu50D1AF7
Their fleeces grow at a rate of 1 inch per month and their wool is extremely popular with hand spinners.
Find out more
[5/14] http://ow.ly/MVZu50D1AF7
Gloucester Cattle are a truly ancient breed that can be traced back to the thirteenth century.
Gloucesters are strikingly beautiful with a dark mahogany body and black head and legs. A white stripe passes from the small of the back, over the tail and under the belly. [6/14]
![Gloucester Cattle are a truly ancient breed that can be traced back to the thirteenth century. Gloucesters are strikingly beautiful with a dark mahogany body and black head and legs. A white stripe passes from the small of the back, over the tail and under the belly. [6/14]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErH8k9BW4AA9Xx3.jpg "Gloucester Cattle are a truly ancient breed that can be traced back to the thirteenth century. Gloucesters are strikingly beautiful with a dark mahogany body and black head and legs. A white stripe passes from the small of the back, over the tail and under the belly. [6/14]")
Gloucesters are strikingly beautiful with a dark mahogany body and black head and legs. A white stripe passes from the small of the back, over the tail and under the belly. [6/14]
Gloucester milk is ideal for cheese making and single Gloucester Cheese can only be made with milk from Gloucester cows. [7/14]
![Gloucester milk is ideal for cheese making and single Gloucester Cheese can only be made with milk from Gloucester cows. [7/14]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErH8xqjXIAMzOYn.jpg "Gloucester milk is ideal for cheese making and single Gloucester Cheese can only be made with milk from Gloucester cows. [7/14]")
The introduction of other breeds and a fall in popularity meant that by 1972, only one major herd remained. Since then, the decline in numbers has been reversed and there are now around 700 female cattle today.
Find out more here [8/14] http://ow.ly/Uav150D1AF8
Find out more here
[8/14] http://ow.ly/Uav150D1AF8
One of the characteristics of the Norfolk Horn breed is that they are excellent foragers and can thrive on lower grade pasture where other breeds would not.
Their head and legs are black and both sexes are horned with the males having heavy spiralled, beautiful horns. [9/14]
![One of the characteristics of the Norfolk Horn breed is that they are excellent foragers and can thrive on lower grade pasture where other breeds would not. Their head and legs are black and both sexes are horned with the males having heavy spiralled, beautiful horns. [9/14]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErH84YAWMAcCwA-.jpg "One of the characteristics of the Norfolk Horn breed is that they are excellent foragers and can thrive on lower grade pasture where other breeds would not. Their head and legs are black and both sexes are horned with the males having heavy spiralled, beautiful horns. [9/14]")
Their head and legs are black and both sexes are horned with the males having heavy spiralled, beautiful horns. [9/14]
The breed started to decline in popularity during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when it was replaced by more productive breeds. In the twentieth century, the breed was on the verge of extinction and only one flock remained in existence after the First World War. [10/14]
Although still a rare breed, the Norfolk Horn is a long way from extinction and there are several large flocks throughout the country. Find out more [11/14] https://www.rbst.org.uk/norfolk-horn
[11/14] https://www.rbst.org.uk/norfolk-horn
The Whiteface Dartmoor breed was developed to thrive in inhospitable conditions and they have a thick fleece to keep them warm on exposed uplands. [12/14]
![The Whiteface Dartmoor breed was developed to thrive in inhospitable conditions and they have a thick fleece to keep them warm on exposed uplands. [12/14]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErH9M7-W4AE6Nj4.jpg "The Whiteface Dartmoor breed was developed to thrive in inhospitable conditions and they have a thick fleece to keep them warm on exposed uplands. [12/14]")
The breed is indigenous to Dartmoor and they are as much part of its landscape as are the rocks, heath and rivers 
They produce high-quality milk and meat.
Find out more [13/14] https://www.rbst.org.uk/whiteface-dartmoor
They produce high-quality milk and meat. Find out more
[13/14] https://www.rbst.org.uk/whiteface-dartmoor
We hope that you enjoyed learning about these British breeds! You can find loads more information on the @RBSTrarebreeds website 
We don't want to end this here so please tag us in your livestock pictures and tell us all the breed [14/14]
![We hope that you enjoyed learning about these British breeds! You can find loads more information on the @RBSTrarebreeds website We don't want to end this here so please tag us in your livestock pictures and tell us all the breed [14/14]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErII8zLW4AAUYPz.jpg "We hope that you enjoyed learning about these British breeds! You can find loads more information on the @RBSTrarebreeds website We don't want to end this here so please tag us in your livestock pictures and tell us all the breed [14/14]")
We don't want to end this here so please tag us in your livestock pictures and tell us all the breed
[14/14]
