The Senepol cattle are a beautiful breed of cattle which are good for both milk and meat production. But currently they are being kept mainly as beef cattle. The breed was developed on the Caribbean Island of St. Croix.
Exact origins of the breed are unknown. But it has long been thought that the Senepol cattle originated from crosses between N’Dama cattle and Red Poll cattle.
The N’Dama cattle were imported in the late 19th century. The Senepol cattle are actually an admixed breed between an European taurina (Red Poll) and zebu.
Genetic characterization using high throughput SNP genotyping recently demonstrated that the Senepol genome contains crosses between European taurine with some Zebu influence.
According to the study, genetic samples of the Senepol DNA contained an average of 10.4 percent Zebu ancestry, 89 percent European taurine ancestry and 0.6 percent African taurine ancestry.
The genetic samples of this cattle were collected from four different regions of Venezuela. Currently the breed is available in many countries throughout the world. Read more information below.
Senepol Cattle Characteristics
Senepol cattle are medium to large sized animals with short hair and red, black or brown colored coat. They are naturally polled and have good eye and skin pigmentation. The cows are good mothers and good milk producers, and they have improved udder quality.
Like most other cattle breeds, the Senepol cows are also pretty smaller than the bulls. The mature bulls on average weight about 930 kg. And average body weight of the cows vary from 550 to 650 kg. And average birth weight of the calves is 34 kg. Photo and info from Wikipedia.
Uses
Currently, the Senepol cattle are mainly used for meat production. They are well known for producing tender beef. But the breed is also pretty good for milk production.
Special Notes
The Senepol cattle are very gentle and docile in temperament which make them very easy to manage. They are very heat tolerance and can graze easily in the heat of the day.
They are also disease and insect resistance as compared to many other beef cattle breeds. The cows are also good for milk production and have good mothering skills. Review full breed profile of this breed in the table below.
| Breed Name | Senepol |
| Other Name | None |
| Breed Purpose | Milk, Meat |
| Special Notes | Hardy, strong, well adapted to heat climate, excellent grazing abilities |
| Breed Size | Medium-large |
| Bulls | Around 930 kg |
| Cows | Vary from 550-650 kg |
| Climate Tolerance | All Climates |
| Coat Color | Red, black or brown |
| Horned | Yes |
| Milk Yield | Good |
| Rarity | Common |
| Country/Place of Origin | America |
