Rare breed boosted by new heifer

The birth of a new heifer boosts the Irish Moiled cattle herd

A cow belonging to an endangered rare breed has given birth to a heifer calf as part of a breeding programme.

It was born at Wimpole Home Farm in Cambs to an Irish Moiled cow - a breed which was popular in Northern Ireland.

The breed had a high yield of milk, was good for meat and could thrive on poor land, but there are now only 250 cows.

National Trust farm manager David Watson said this was a great event because of a shortage of female stock, although they had four cows.

At one point the Irish Moiled stock was down to 30 breeding cows in two herds but the numbers are beginning to grow.

Mr Watson said: "The problem we've had here at Wimpole is that the Irish Moiled cows have not done much to further their own cause by only producing boy calves up to now.

"It's great that the herd has been thinking pink and it has come up with a girl."

The calf has been named Emerald and is a member of a breed which has no horns.

Moiled comes from the Irish word moal - meaning round - which describes the top of the head where the horns would normally grow.