Chillingham
(most common name)
(transboundary/brand name)

The Chillingham became a unique breed of semi-feral white cattle due to extreme isolation and inbreeding.

According to history, a wall was erected around the estate of Chillingham (now called Chillingham Park) back in 1225–1250 and white cattle have been kept there ever since.

They are small and have pale reddish ears with dark reddish-brown-black speckling on the neck and face. The red-pointing distinguishes them from the White Park (which are mostly black-pointed). The overall coat is off-white in the cows to a brown-tinged white in the bulls; both become shaggy in winter (with curled hair around the head and neck of the bulls).

At one time (1918–1946), the Chillingham was recorded in the old herdbook for the White Park. The Chillingham Wild Cattle Association was founded in 1939 and, since 1980, has held a 999-year lease of grazing rights as tenants of the College Valley Estate. A reserve Chillingham herd was established in Scotland in 1973.

This page was last updated on: 2023-05-16

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