Cattle breeds
Welsh Black

As the name suggests, the Welsh Black comes from Wales, in the south-west of Great Britain, and is black in colour. Its origins are somewhat unclear. There is evidence indicating that the breed, or its ancestors, already existed in Roman times. Black cattle have certainly been bred in Wales for more than 1,000 years.

Wales is famous for its green hills. Over the centuries, Welsh Black cattle have adapted to the harsh climate, windy coasts and poor soil there, turning the grass of the green hills into valuable milk and meat. However, the market for these black (or, very rarely, red) animals was not in Wales, but in London. So-called ‘drovers’ used to spend weeks driving the herds to the markets where they sold the animals. The drovers would then return to Wales with large sums of money. It is thus no surprise that the Welsh Black was also known as the ‘black gold from the Welsh hills’. It was immortalised as such on banknotes issued by the local ‘Black Ox Bank’ (later taken over by Lloyds Bank).

Thanks to their hardiness and their ability to make the most of grass, Welsh Black cattle are now found all over the world. They are still very rare in Switzerland though.