Native Irish cattle breeds and their fight against extinction

Abstract

The aim of my thesis was to research the Irish moiled, Kerry and Dexter cattle which are rare native breeds to Ireland. I wanted to see if conservation methods of these breeds are successful in preventing them from becoming extinct. The decline of these breeds was so dramatic that by the late 1970s the Irish moiled breed had been reduced to less than 30 females maintained by two breeders in Northern Ireland and was nearly extinct. As of 2016, the Irish moiled breed is currently categorised on the at risk level of the RBST. There are currently 38 breeders in the Republic of Ireland with more in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom.