We can be certain that our British Blondes have a very great deal to offer the world through export of stock and genetics. However, in order to sell them we have to be crystal clear why, especially when we’re trying to do it in another language or ask someone else to. In doing this, we also need to distinguish British Blondes from French, Dutch and Danish cattle which are widely available. Points about this are:-

Easy calving was asked about a lot at Hanover , particularly with respect to cross breeding. We heard little about crossing a beef breed onto dairy cattle, but more about putting a Blonde bull onto Charolais and Simmental cows, specifically with a view to getting easy calvings on German farms.

Early and rapid growth is our obvious distinguishing point, from French Blondes (though they are the ones who claim that a Blonde bull can put on 100gms per hour!). This point was very interesting to our enquirers.

People asked about polled cattle, where of course we were unable to help much. I do know that the Danes have developed polled Blondes from poll Hereford and crosses; that they are criticized for occasionally producing a throwback with a white face whether or not associated with excess fat and brisket; and that Danish Blondes at large are criticized for having gone for such heavy and early muscling that they have lost the easy calving that is seen as such a main advantage of the breed all over the world.

Temperament. Must be reliable.

More meat in the right places. Here I can’t avoid bringing in the essential greater length of the Blonde, which gives you more sirloin and fillet and adds £60 per inch of extra length to your carcass and knocks the other breeds into a cocked hat. Has anybody compared British Blondes killing out percentage with French?? Ability to gain weight on a forage diet?

Meat which is reliably lean, juicy and tender. British Blonde cattle will reach killing weights so early that I don’t feel tenderness gene analysis can tell us much. On the other hand, Ben was told that if you want to take the cattle on to heavier weights then Blondes, even heifers, won’t lay down excess fat.

Report by Hilary Jones