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Beef Cattle Breeds

Sussex Cattle: The Red Oxen of the Weald That Became a Beef Breed

For centuries Sussex oxen hauled plows and timber through heavy clay. Late in the 19th century breeders turned them to beef.

Where do Sussex cattle come from?

The Sussex is a British red beef breed from the Weald of Sussex, Surrey and Kent in southeast England. The agricultural writer Arthur Young praised the cattle of the Weald, writing that they must be ranked among the best in the kingdom. Selective breeding for beef began in the late 19th century, and before that the breed was mainly a draft animal.

The 3rd Earl of Egremont established a Sussex herd in Petworth Park. The Wikipedia article on Sussex cattle collects these details.

The draft ox of the Weald

According to the draft-ox history on Wikipedia, Sussex oxen pulled plows, carts and wagons and hauled timber, often over muddy clay ground. Spayed cows did the same work. In 1797 a team of 86 oxen moved a mill about 3 km in Brighton, and at least one Sussex team was still working in 1929.

After their working lives the animals were fattened for beef. Sussex cattle sent to Smithfield in the late 18th century averaged close to 900 kg, and the heaviest recorded ox weighed 1,828 kg.

Herd books and societies

Sources give two dates for the Sussex herd book, per the breed's conservation and records summary, 1837 or 1855. The Sussex Herd Book Society was formed in 1879 and published breed records covering 1855 to 1875.

The page does not give a founding date for the later Sussex Cattle Society.

What Made It Work

The Sussex made the shift from muscle to meat by building on traits that farmers already valued: weight, strength and an ability to thrive on heavy ground.

The documented points are these.

  • Dual role: oxen worked for years, then were fattened, so each animal earned its keep twice.
  • Heavy carcasses: late 18th-century Smithfield animals averaged close to 900 kg.
  • Noble patronage: the 3rd Earl of Egremont kept a Sussex herd in Petworth Park.
  • Overseas reach: first exports to South Africa arrived in 1903, to New Zealand from 1904, and to Zambia.
  • Efficient modern finishing: slaughter age is about 16 months at about 475 kg live weight, with a carcass of about 260 kg, a dressing percentage of about 55 percent.
  • Limits: the breed needed a new market role when draft work ended, and the UK population is now listed as at risk by DAD-IS.

Size, color and finishing

Sussex cattle are rich red-brown with a creamy white tail switch. Horns are usually white, and a polled variant exists. Average weight is 1,002 kg for males and 677 kg for females, and average height is 145 cm for males and 135 cm for females. Daily gain is about 0.9 kg.

Sussex cattle abroad

A US breed society started in 1884, became inactive, and restarted in 1966. The breed is reported in Australia, though the page gives no export date. South Africa received its first exports in 1903, formed a breed society in 1920, and started a herd book in 1920 or 1906. It now has the largest population, estimated at 500,000 head in 2016.

For more on beef history from the English counties to the plains, see the ranching section on farm.FM and a farm.FM story about Sussex cattle.

Is the Sussex rare?

The FAO described the breed as not at risk worldwide in 2007. In 2021 DAD-IS reported the UK status as at risk or endangered, and the Rare Breeds Survival Trust listed it on its watchlist in 2021 to 2022, though not in the higher at risk or priority categories.

Timeline

  1. 1797Team of 86 oxen moves a mill about 3 km in Brighton
  2. 1837 or 1855Sussex herd book begins (sources differ)
  3. 1879Sussex Herd Book Society formed
  4. 1884First US breed society starts
  5. 1903First exports to South Africa
  6. 1904Exports to New Zealand begin
  7. 1920South African breed society formed
  8. 1929At least one Sussex ox team still working
  9. 1966US society restarts

Frequently asked questions

Where do Sussex cattle come from?

They come from the Weald of Sussex, Surrey and Kent in southeast England. They were draft oxen first and were bred for beef from the late 19th century.

What color are Sussex cattle?

They are a rich red-brown with a creamy white tail switch and usually white horns. A polled variant also exists.

Where are most Sussex cattle today?

South Africa has the largest population, estimated at 500,000 head in 2016. Exports there began in 1903.

Are Sussex cattle endangered?

The FAO listed them as not at risk worldwide in 2007, but DAD-IS reports the UK population as at risk. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust has them on its watchlist.

Sources and further reading

Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.

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