Speckle Park

The Speckle Park is a modern Canadian breed of beef cattle. It was developed in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan from 1959, by cross-breeding stock of the British Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorn breeds; the spotted or speckled pattern for which it is named derived from a single bull with the colour-pointed markings of the British White Park.[2]: 304  It is one of only a few beef cattle breeds developed in Canada.

At Stampede Park, Calgary, Alberta
Conservation statusDAD-IS (2021): at risk/endangered[1]
Country of originCanada
Distribution
  • Australia
  • Ireland
  • United Kingdom
Traits
Coat
Horn statuspolled
  • Cattle
  • Bos (primigenius) taurus
Bull at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The Speckle Park was officially recognised as an 'evolving breed' in 1995, and received full 'distinct breed' recognition from the Canadian government in 2006. Some have been exported to Australia,[3] to Ireland[4] and to the United Kingdom.[5]

Numbers are low, and in Canada it is an endangered breed.[1]

History

The Speckle Park was developed in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan from 1959, by cross-breeding stock of the British Aberdeen Angus and Shorthorn breeds; the spotted or speckled pattern for which it is named derived from a single bull with the colour-pointed markings of the British White Park.[2]: 304 

A breed association, the Canadian Speckle Park Association, was formed in 1985.[6] In 1995 the byelaws of the association received ministerial approval and the Speckle Park was officially recognised as an 'evolving breed'. It received full 'distinct breed' recognition from the Canadian government in 2006.[2]: 304 [6]

Some have been exported to Australia,[3] to Ireland[4] and to the United Kingdom.[5]

In 2020 the Canadian population of the cattle was reported to DAD-IS at just over 1400 head; in 2021 the conservation status of the breed was reported as "at risk/endangered".[1]

Characteristics

Canadian Speckle Park is so named because of the colour pattern of the cattle.[7] They are most often colour-sided, black with white spine and underbelly, with speckling to the hips and shoulders. They may also be colour-pointed, white with black points (i.e., black nose, ears and feet); or, less commonly, solid black.[2]: 304 

See also

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canadian Speckle Park.
  1. Breed data sheet: Speckle Park / Canada (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed December 2021.
  2. Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
  3. Breed data sheet: Speckle Park / Australia (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed December 2021.
  4. Breed data sheet: Speckle Park / Ireland (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed December 2021.
  5. Breed data sheet: Speckle Park / United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Cattle). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed December 2021.
  6. Kim Woods (28 January 2009). Speckles add sparkle to herd. The Weekly Times. Archived 6 July 2011.
  7. Carol Ekarius (2008). Storey's Illustrated Breed Guide to Sheep, Goats, Cattle and Pigs. North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing. ISBN 9781603420365
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