The cattle

Ancient Cattle of Wales are ideally suited to thrive on the highlands and moorlands of Wales.  They are extremely hardy beasts and do well in any environment.  In winter, their long-haired coats and natural resistance to cold and wet conditions help them overwinter in the most inclement of Welsh weather.

Originally a dual purpose animal, the modern-day breed is an excellent beef animal.  They are a medium sized animal, usually weighing 600-800 kg., producing a high-quality carcass with tender, well-flavoured meat.  The cattle do well on less-favoured grassland and can be finished purely on pasture.  They are ideal conservation grazers.

They make excellent mothers with minimal calving and rearing problems and their hardy nature facilitates low-input husbandry.  ACW cattle make an ideal herd for upland farmers, smallholders and those looking for a heritage breed.

In this section, you can:

• Explore the different colours of the cattle,
  • including ‘lost’ colours.
• Discover what makes a good ACW animal, by reading the Breed Standard.
• For ACW owners: Learn which codes to use when registering your cattle with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS).