the shorthorn is the oldest recorded breed of cattle in the uk, and the coatess herd book began registering shorthorn cattle in 1822. the original shorthorn cattle were very much dual purpose animals but subsequent breeding and selection for specialist beef traits led to a division of the herdbook, and the formation in 1959 of the beef shorthorn cattle society. the two societies maintain close links but are run as completely separate breed societies.
the shorthorn is the oldest recorded breed of cattle in the uk, and the coatess herd book began registering shorthorn cattle in 1822. the original shorthorn cattle were very much dual purpose animals but subsequent breeding and selection for speciali