White Park Cattle

WHITE PARK CATTLE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
By Garry Hodgen

The attempt to keep White Park Cattle in Western Australia is based on a nucleus herd in which a phenotype bull has been mated to several generations of his own progeny. Heifer calves with White Park markings have been retained. The result is a small herd of a dozen White Park “look-a-like” female cattle on a small property at Serpentine about 60 kilometres from Perth. The bull, which is now 8 years old, is related to the 3 pure White Park cows imported from the UK to Western Australia in 1987.
Artificial breeding is the next step in the preservation effort with 6 cows having been inseminated with “straws” from the United States. Calves from the artificially bred cows are due in November 2003. The hope is to find quality semen from the UK that meets the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service criteria for entry into Australia. Natural matings by the “old” bull have resulted in very agile and lively calves of low birth weight and reasonable growth rate. Heifers joined at 15 months of age have no problems calving. The cattle are very “easy” care and exhibit a natural resistance to sun burn and eye problems.

The “herd “ is the hobby of Garry Hodgen and is cared for by his parents, Bill and Esther Hodgen on their property at Serpentine South of Perth.