Morrisons is using its farming expertise to help increase numbers of a cattle breed rarer than the giant panda.
Morrisons will host a herd of Whitebred Shorthorn at its Dumfries House farm in Scotland. There are fewer than 150 registered, adult, breeding female Whitebred Shorthorn cattle in the UK.
The herd will join Morrisons’ existing cattle herds at Dumfries House, which include Beef Shorthorn and Aberdeen Angus.
“The Whitebred Shorthorn has retained the qualities of longevity, good temperament and eating quality that we are looking for in our native breeds,” said farm operations manager Andrew Loftus.
Five cattle with Whitebred Shorthorn bloodlines have been purchased using funds from The Prince of Wales’ Charitable Foundation. The animals were selected with the help of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
Last year, Morrisons introduced a Traditional Beef range, paying a 20p/kg premium for Beef Shorthorn and Whitebred Shorthorn cattle and crosses and 10p/kg for other native breeds and their crosses. If it successfully establishes a herd, Morrisons could use meat from the Whitebred Shorthorns in its Traditional Beef range.
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