The Breed
The Irish Moiled is one of our rarest cattle breeds Traditionally a dairy cow , it has earned the reputation as a truly dual purpose animal, producing both high quality beef and milk from poorer quality grazing .
The Irish Moiled is a hornless breed. The name Moile is derived from the Gaelic language and relates to the distinctive dome or mound on top of the head. It is of medium size (a mature cow can weigh up to 650kg.) with a varied colouration, characteristically red in colour marked by a white line or 'finching' on the back and under parts, but can vary from white with red ears to nearly all red.
They are generally easy to handle with a placid docile temperament.
In the 20th. century the breed declined in numbers as it was superseded by new more specialised breeds. The decline was so dramatic that by the 1970's the breed had been reduced to less than 30 females maintained by two breeders in Northern Ireland - David Swan of Dunsilly and James Nelson of Maymore.
The Society was formed in 1926 to develop and improve the breed. In 1982 the Society was revived with the encouragement of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The breed has enjoyed valuable research and guidance from both the Trust and the Genetics Department of Liverpool University. This encouragement has been greatly appreciated by the Society.
The Society has a well established DNA testing programme to ensure validity of pedigrees and the integrity of this important gene pool.
In 2008 a breed conservation strategy was launched. It is hoped that this strategy will help maintain the genetic base of the breed and also reduce to a minimum any increase in inbreeding within the breed.
In 2008 there were approximately 140 members of the Society with over forty breeders on the mainland of Great Britain and the others being in Northern Ireland and the South of Ireland.
