Shorthorn
The Shorthorn, Durham or Durham Shorthorn is or was a British breed of cattle. It originated in the counties of Durham and Yorkshire in north-eastern England and was already present in that area in the sixteenth century. In the United Kingdom it has developed into four separate recognised breeds: the Beef Shorthorn, the Dairy Shorthorn, the Northern Dairy Shorthorn and the Whitebred Shorthorn. In Australia seven shorthorn breeds are recognised: the Australian Shorthorn, the Beef Shorthorn, the Dairy Shorthorn, the Illawarra Shorthorn, the Poll Shorthorn, the Durham and the Weebollabolla Shorthorn. Others are the Japanese Shorthorn of Japan and the Milking Shorthorn of the United States. Shorthorns are coloured red, white, or roan, although roan cattle are preferred by some, and completely white animals are not common. However, one type of Shorthorn has been bred to be consistently white – the Whitebred Shorthorn, which was developed to cross with black Galloway cattle to produce a popular blue roan crossbreed, the Blue Grey.
| Life Span | 18-22 years |
| Weight | 450-900 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Shorthorn
Finding a responsible Shorthorn breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells cattles commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Shorthorn. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Shorthorns appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
Looking for a Shorthorn breeder?
Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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