Droimeann cattle have been officially recognised as a ‘Native Rare Irish Cattle Breed’ by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed.
Minister Creed made the announcement today, Wednesday, January 8, saying that he recognised “the efforts of a dedicated core of breeders over many decades in collecting and selective breeding of these animals”.
The minister said that the breed is a “key part of the rich and unique history of Irish cattle breeds”.
There are many factors such as cultural, historic and genetic diversity that make the Droimeann a breed with a rich history unique to Ireland.
“They have an adaptability that has allowed them to thrive in Irish production conditions. There are historical references to the Droimeann breed for many years, and thanks to a lot of work by many people and the advent of modern genotyping techniques, we have finally been able to prove their uniqueness as a breed,” Minister Creed commented.
He also acknowledged the role of animal genetic resources in the biodiversity mix in Ireland.
“Droimeann breeders have shown themselves to be very diligent in their role as custodians of this breed over many years,” the minister added.
While numbers of these animals are very low, and can be considered ‘at risk’, I am confident that the dedication of the [Droimeann Cattle] Society will allow numbers to increase in the coming years.
According to a statement from Minister Creed’s department, the breed has been recorded as native to Ireland in cultural and historical records dating back centuries, with evidence for the breed’s existence being supported through poetry and songs from Celtic and Irish history.
DNA testing has shown the breed to be unique, based on its genetic distance to other breeds.
The criteria used to determine if a breed is native is as follows:
- General information, including country of origin, number of animals in breeding age and population trends in preceding years;
- History and age as a separate breed, based on ecological, cultural-historical and social value;
- Performance of the breed, including adaptation to production and environmental circumstances;
- Breed purity, depending on the influence of other breeds based on DNA testing.
The last breed of any animal to be confirmed as native and rare by the Department of Agriculture was the Kerry bog pony 15 years ago.