List of Scottish breeds

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This is a list of domestic animal breeds originating in Scotland. To be considered domesticated, a population of animals must have their behaviour, life cycle, or physiology systemically altered as a result of being under human control for many generations.[1]

Scotland has produced some of the longest-established domestic animal breeds.[citation needed] There are thirty-seven extant animal breeds from Scotland, and three that are extinct. The Soay Sheep has prehistoric origins,[citation needed] and the Galloway breed of beef cattle dates back several hundred years. New breeds have also been developed more recently in Scotland, such as the Scottish Fold cat, which dates from 1961.[2]

The North Ronaldsay Sheep is a most unusual breed, subsisting largely on a diet of seaweed.[3] The Boreray was in 2012 the only sheep breed listed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust as 'critical', its highest level of concern at that time;[4] in 2022 it was listed as 'at risk', the lower of the two levels of concern of the Trust.[5] Some breeds, such as the Shetland Pony and the Border Collie are well known throughout much of the Western world, whilst others such as the Scots Dumpy chicken are little-known, even at home.[citation needed] Fifteen breeds of dog have Scottish origins, including six terrier breeds.[6] Indeed, the relative isolation of many Scottish islands has led to a preponderance of breeds from these places being represented. Various breeds are now extinct, including the Grice, an archaic and somewhat aggressive pig.[7]

## Breeds

[edit]

### Cats

[edit]

Breed | Image | Place and date of origin | Status

|
|
|

Scottish Fold |  | Coupar Angus, 1961  | rare[2]

### Cattle

[edit]

Breed | Image | Place and date of origin | Status

|
|
|

Aberdeen Angus |  | Aberdeenshire, Angus, 18th century  | not at risk[8]
Ayrshire |  | Ayrshire, before 1800  | not at risk[9][10]
Belted Galloway |  | Galloway, 17–18th century  | rare[11]
Galloway |  | Galloway, 700–1100  | not at risk[12]
Highland |  | West Highlands, before 1800  | not at risk[13]
Luing |  | Luing, after 1947  | not at risk[14]
Shetland |  | Shetland, 700–1100  | at risk[15]

### Chickens

[edit]

Breed | Image | Place and date of origin | Status

|
|
|

Scots Dumpy |  | Highlands, 11th century  | priority;[16] rare[17]

Scots Grey

|  | Lanarkshire, 16th century  | priority;[16] rare[18]

### Dogs

[edit]

Breed | Image | Place and date of origin | Status

|
|
|

Bearded Collie |  | Highlands, 16th century  | vulnerable native breed[19]

Border Collie

|  | Scottish Borders, late 19th century  | not at risk[20]
Border Terrier |  | Scottish Borders, 1700s  | not at risk[21]
Cairn Terrier |  | Scottish highlands, 16th–19th century  | not at risk[22]
Dandie Dinmont |  | Skye and Scottish Borders, mid-18th century or earlier  | vulnerable native breed[22][23]
Golden Retriever |  | Glen Affric, 1865  | not at risk[24]
Gordon Setter |  | Moray, 1700s  | vulnerable native breed[25]
Rough Collie |  | Scottish Highlands, 19th century  | not at risk[26]
Smooth Collie |  | Scotland, 19th century  | vulnerable native breed
Scottish Terrier |  | Aberdeen, 15th–16th century  | at risk[22][27]
Scottish Deerhound |  | Probably the Highlands, possibly in the Middle Ages  | vulnerable native breed
Shetland Sheepdog
or Sheltie  |  | 1900s  | not at risk[28]
Skye Terrier |  | Skye, before 1588  | vulnerable native breed[22][29][30]
West Highland White Terrier
or Westie  |  | Skye & Argyll, 16th century  | not at risk[22]

### Geese

[edit]

Breed | Image | Place and date of origin | Status

|
|
|

Shetland |  | Shetland, unknown  | UK and US - priority;[16] critical[31]

### Horses

[edit]

Breed | Image | Place and date of origin | Status

|
|
|

Clydesdale |  | Clydesdale, 1750s  | at risk[32]
Eriskay Pony |  | Hebrides | critical[33][34]
Highland Pony |  | Highlands and Islands, 16th century  | at risk[35][36][37]
Shetland Pony |  | Shetland, B.C.  | not at risk[38][39]

### Sheep

[edit]

Breed | Image | Place and date of origin | Status

|
|
|

Boreray

|  | St Kilda, Scotland, 1930s  | critical[40]

Castlemilk Moorit

|  | Dumfriesshire, from more ancient Scottish and other breeds including Soay and Shetland, 1900s  | critical[41][42]

Cheviot

|  | Scottish Borders, 14th century or earlier  | not at risk[43]

Hebridean

|  | Cumbria, probably from sheep from the Hebrides, 19th century  | rare[44]

North Country Cheviot

|  | Cheviot Hills, Caithness, Sutherland, 18th century  | UK and North America[45]

North Ronaldsay

|  | North Ronaldsay, Iron Age  | rare[3][46]

Scottish Blackface

|  | Scottish Borders, about 1500  | not at risk[47]

Shetland

|  | Shetland, Iron Age  | UK and North America[48]

Soay

|  | Soay, St Kilda, Neolithic or Bronze Age  | rare[49][4]

## Extinct breeds

[edit]

A Paisley Terrier

Prior to their demise, the Paisley Terrier contributed to the bloodline of the Yorkshire Terrier and the Scottish Tan Face to the Boreray sheep. Although Galloway Ponies were praised by Gervaise Markham in the 17th century for their "fine shape, easie pace, pure metall and infinit toughness", true to form Samuel Johnson described them as "common hackneys".[50] It shares its origins with the still extant Fell Pony. A model of the Grice, whose habit of attacking lambs cannot have aided its survival, was recreated by a taxidermist in 2006.[7]

Breed | Species | Date of Origin | Location of Origin | Date of extinction

|
|
|
|

Paisley Terrier or Clydesdale Terrier  | Dog  | 19th century  | Paisley, Clyde Valley | 20th century[51]
Galloway Pony | Horse  | 16th century or earlier  | Galloway  | post 1901[50]
Grice | Pig | Unknown  | Highlands and Islands (also Ireland)  | c. 1930[7]
Scottish Dunface or Old Scottish Shortwool  | Sheep  | Iron Age | Highlands and Islands (previously British Isles)  | late 19th century[52] (Survives as Shetland, Boreray, North Ronaldsay, Hebridean.)

## See also

[edit]

* Fauna of Scotland
* Shetland animal breeds
* Scottish inventions and discoveries

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Zeder MA (2015). "Core questions in domestication Research". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 112 (11): 3191–8\. Bibcode:2015PNAS..112.3191Z. doi:10.1073/pnas.1501711112. PMC 4371924. PMID 25713127.
2. ^ a b "Scottish Fold Cat Information". Pet Finder. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
3. ^ a b "North Ronaldsay". Sheep Breeds. Seven Sisters Sheep Centre. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
4. ^ a b "RBST Watchlist". Retrieved 8 November 2015.
5. ^ Watchlist 2022–23. Kenilworth, Warwickshire: Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived 28 September 2022.
6. ^ "Dogs from Scotland". InfoDogs. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
7. ^ a b c "Extinct Island Pig Spotted Again". BBC News. 17 November 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
8. ^ "Angus" Oklahoma State University. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
9. ^ "The Breed" Archived 29 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine Ayrshire Cattle Society. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
10. ^ "Why Ayrshires" US Ayrshire Breeders' Association. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
11. ^ "Belted Galloway" Archived 25 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine Oklahoma State University. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
12. ^ "Galloway History" Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine Galloway Cattle Society of New Zealand. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
13. ^ "The Highland Breed" Highland Cattle Society. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
14. ^ "History of the Breed" Archived 20 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine Luing Cattle Society. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
15. ^ "Home" Shetland Cattle Breeders Association. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
16. ^ a b c Watchlist 2017–18. Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire: Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Accessed May 2017.
17. ^ "Scots Dumpy chickens at Kintaline Farm" scotsdumpy.co.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
18. ^ " Scots Grey Hens at Kintaline Farm" Archived 25 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine scotsgrey.co.uk Retrieved 20 July 2009.
19. ^ "Vulnerable native breeds | Getting a dog | the Kennel Club".
20. ^ "Collie breed history barkbytes.com. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
21. ^ "History of the Border Terrier" Archived 23 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine Oberlin University. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
22. ^ a b c d e Initial grouping of several of the highland terriers (including the Scottie) under the generic name Skye terriers has caused some confusion in the breed’s lineage. There is much disagreement over whether the Skye terriers mentioned in early 16th century records actually descended from forerunners of the Scottie or vice versa. See Choosing a Scottish Terrier" Petplace.com. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
23. ^ "Dandie Dinmont Terrier History". Caledonian Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club. Archived from the original on 10 September 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
24. ^ "Golden Retrievers: History" K9web.com. Retrieved 30 November 2007.
25. ^ "About Gordon Setters" Archived 10 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine Gordon Setter Cub of America. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
26. ^ "History of the Rough Collie" Archived 16 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine collienet.com. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
27. ^ "Scottish Terrier" Britanica. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
28. ^ "Endemic Vertebrates of Shetland"[permanent dead link] nature-shetland.co.uk. Retrieved 20 July 2009. This source suggests that this is "a debatable breed, the Kennel Club variety probably differing significantly from the dogs that were used in Shetland in the past".
29. ^ Threlfall, Sine "Breed History" Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Skye Terrier Club Retrieved 20 July 2009.
30. ^ Savill, Richard (5 July 2006) "Skye Seven raise hope for breed's survival" The Telegraph. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
31. ^ "Conservation Priority List". The Livestock Conservancy. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
32. ^ "Breed History" Clydesdale Horse Society. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
33. ^ "Eriskay Pony". Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 19 March 2009.
34. ^ "Watchlist: Eriskay" Archived 20 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
35. ^ "History of Highland Ponies" Archived 4 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Strathspey Highland Ponies/freespace.virgin.net. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
36. ^ "Highland Pony" mahalo.com. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
37. ^ Both sources state that fossil remains of the ancestors of the modern breed have been found dating from "60,000 BC" prior to the last Ice Age.
38. ^ "Breed History" Archived 2 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine Shetland Pony Studbook Society. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
39. ^ "Shetland Pony" Archived 18 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Equine World. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
40. ^ "Watchlist: Boreray" Archived 6 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Retrieved 20 July 2009. This categorisation indicates that fewer than 300 individuals are known to exist.
41. ^ "Castlemilk Moorit". Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University Dept. of Animal Science. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 27 January 2008.
42. ^ "Castlemilk Description". Castlemilk Moorit Sheep Society. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
43. ^ "Cheviot". Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University, Dept. of Animals Science. Retrieved 15 April 2009.
44. ^ "History of the Breed" Archived 22 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Hebridean Sheep Society. Retrieved 20 July 2009. The breed is sometimes referred to as "St. Kilda Sheep", although it has no specific connection with the archipelago.
45. ^ "North Country Cheviot". Breeds of Livestock. Oklahoma State University, Dept. of Animal Science. Archived from the original on 24 February 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2009.
46. ^ "A historic Introduction". The Native Sheep of North Ronaldsay. Sheep-Isle. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
47. ^ "Scottish Blackface" sheep101.info/breedsS. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
48. ^ "Shetland". Sheep Breeds - S-St. Sheep101.info. Retrieved 1 May 2009.
49. ^ "A Thumbnail History Of The Soay Sheep Of St. Kilda" Southern Oregon Soay Sheep Farms. Retrieved 20 July 2009.
50. ^ a b "Galloways and Fell Galloways" Archived 25 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine The Fell Pony Museum. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
51. ^ Bailey, Susan (24 January 2008) "The Evolution Of The Yorkshire Terrier" articlealley.com. Retrieved 21 July 2009. This source suggest the Paisley and Clydesdale were two distinct breeds at one time.
52. ^ Culley, George (1807) Observations on Livestock London. Wilkie, Robinson et al. pp 146, 160–161. Retrieved 7 July 2010.

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