Only 40 years ago, British beef cattle breeders fought to stop the import of ‘exotic’ continental beef breeds. Now genes from both British and mainland European cattle are merged in hybrid lines, resulting in still better performance
by NORMAN DUNN
Surely the biggest changes in the last 40 years in beef production feature the ever-increasing number of breeds involved. I won’t say “new breeds,” because their respective forbears were often first described 200 years ago or even further back in time – in forgotten corners of France, in Italy or way up in the Bavarian Alps.