The Randall Lineback or Randall is an American

breed A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...

cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, bovid ungulates widely kept as livestock. They are prominent modern members of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Mature female cattle are calle ...

. It originated in

Bennington County, Vermont Bennington County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 37,347. The shire towns (county seats) are jointly Bennington, Vermont, Bennington ("The So ...

, and is

critically endangered An IUCN Red List critically endangered (CR or sometimes CE) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of December 2023, of t ...

History

The Randall derives from traditional linebacked or color-sided cattle once widespread in

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

, in the north-eastern United States. These were triple-purpose cattle, reared for milk, for beef and for draft work, and are thought to have derived from cattle of British, Dutch and French origin. From 1912, a herd of cattle of this type was kept largely isolated from outside breeding on the farm of the Randall family in either Arlington or

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...

. The family also kept some

Guernsey Guernsey ( ; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; ) is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located west of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy. It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes five other inhabited isl ...

stock, and there may have been some cross-breeding with these. After the family ceased dairy farming, the whole herd was kept at pasture for approximately fifteen years. In 1985, it was dispersed, and many animals were slaughtered; with the involvement of some members of the

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy The Livestock Conservancy, formerly known as the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) and prior to that, the American Minor Breeds Conservancy, is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and promoting rare breeds, also known as ...

(now The Livestock Conservancy), six bulls and nine cows were bought for conservation reasons and taken to

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

. A

breed society Breed clubs are associations or clubs with activities centered on a single, specific breed of a particular species of domesticated animal. The purpose of the association will vary with the species of animal and the goals and needs of the members ...

was formed in 2005. The Randall became a State Heritage Breed of the state of Vermont. It is a rare breed. In 2015, the total number was over 500 head; in 2022 its

conservation status The conservation status of a group of organisms (for instance, a species) indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation ...

was listed by the

Livestock Conservancy The Livestock Conservancy, formerly known as the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) and prior to that, the American Minor Breeds Conservancy, is a nonprofit organization focused on preserving and promoting Rare breed (agriculture), ra ...

as 'critical'.

Characteristics

Randall cattle are quite variable in size and conformation and have a constitution that is suited to the

climate. Randalls on average are medium in size with the cows weighing about 600-1100 lbs. and bulls weighing from 1000 to 1800 lbs. or more. Randall cattle have a " Colour-sided" lineback pattern, black markings on a white base, varying from almost white to very dark. Other subtle shades such as blue, mahogany, and gray have been observed, and there are now a number of recessive reds. This breed is uniquely adapted to extensive or low input farming systems. Historically, the most suitable and natural environment for these cattle has been on small scale forage-based farms, subsistence farms, and homesteads. It is on such farms and homesteads that the unique genetic attributes of the Randalls can be fully expressed.Randall Cattle. Milk production on grass. Philip B. Lang PDF

Use

Randall Cattle are an all-purpose breed, meaning they originally served as dairy, meat, and draft animals.

References

{{North American heritage cattle Randall Cattle Sunderland, Vermont Conservation Priority Breeds of the Livestock Conservancy Cattle landraces