My regular readers know that I like to write about various aspects of history of the dairy industry. I am particularly interested in conservation efforts to protect the heritage breeds of dairy cows in this age of pressure to increase production per cow in some areas of the country.
The Randall Linebacks are reported to be Americaâs oldest and rarest dairy breed. While once considered a critically endangered animal, The Livestock Conservancy now states they number around 500.
Randall Linebacks originated on the farm of Everett Randall in Sunderland, Vermont, where it is reported he and later his son kept a closed herd for over 80 years. Randall was a cattle breeder and it is widely thought that the Randall Linebacks are a combination of Dutch, French and English cattle. The Randalls are considered to be a âlandraceâ breed, descended from the indigenous cattle common in New England in the 19th century.