The UK’s iconic, ancient White Park cattle breed – a key surviving link to an earlier, wilder Britain – has been moved to the most urgent category in the new rare breeds Watchlist published today by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST).

The RBST Watchlist is the charity’s annual situation report for the UK’s native livestock and equine breeds. The distinctive White Park cattle breed (which has a pale coat, black muzzle and long sweeping horns) is one of four native livestock breeds which are today moved to the Watchlist’s Priority category as a result of growing concerns about their outlook, alongside Original Population Lincoln Red cattle, Boreray sheep, and Soay sheep. See the new RBST Watchlist in full at www.rbst.org.uk/watchlist.

Ancestors of the striking White Park cattle are thought to have accompanied the Celts as they were pushed to Britain’s northern and western fringes by the Romans. As farming intensified the breed declined and only four herds remained in the 1960s – the severe threat to the White Park’s existence was a key driver for the formation of RBST in 1973, and the charity chose the breed for its logo. Over the past five decades the White Park breed had been brought back from the brink to a more stable (but still rare) position.

However, in 2025 new registrations of White Park calves declined for the third consecutive year, falling by 36.3% compared with 2022. Over the same period, the Effective Population Size (which is a measure of genetic diversity, not a total population count) has also decreased, indicating a heightened risk of inbreeding and a potential loss of genetic diversity, both critical concerns for the long-term survival of a rare breed.

Historically, the White Park was a triple-purpose breed used for milk, meat, and draught work. Today the breed is primarily raised for its high-quality beef and its suitability for conservation grazing, helping to manage and restore natural habitats. In keeping with the breed’s connection to the wilder environments of Britain’s past, the White Park is hardy and thrifty. As a horned breed, the cattle require skilled management and abattoirs that work with non-standard animals. RBST is urging the Government to strengthen support for the conservation of White Park cattle, as well as other rare native livestock and equines, in its delivery of agricultural and environmental policies such as the Environmental Improvement Plan.

Rare Breeds Survival Trust Chief Executive Christopher Price said: “The sharp fall in White Park cattle birth registrations is a major concern for the breed’s future. These striking rare cattle are an irreplaceable part of the UK’s heritage: with a story reaching back to the movements of Celtic peoples, they are a key living connection to an earlier, wilder Britain. Native cattle breeds such as the White Park still have an important role to play in sustainable farming, regenerative land management, disease resistance, biodiversity and food chain resilience of today and for the future.

“Fantastic work by farmers and land managers is placing native livestock breeds at the heart of sustainable farming and nature restoration throughout the UK, but Government support is very limited and difficult to access. We want to see Government deliver more incentives for choosing native breeds, and we’d like Defra to work with us to develop and support best practice breeding plans for all our rare native livestock and equines.”

Jan McCourt, a founding trader at the modern Borough and Broadway Markets and an RBST Trustee, farms with White Park cattle at Northfield Farm on the Rutland/Leicestershire border. He said: “White Park cattle represent something culturally, visually and historically special. With the right expertise, the breed can produce what I consider the ultimate product in beef, with a very fine and rarely seen type of marbling, and a deep, unctuous flavour. I have worked with White Park cattle for more than 20 years and the breed is very close to my heart, the decline that has prompted this move to the RBST Watchlist’s Priority category is worrying, but can be reversed with a combination of awareness, education, and financial support.”

The new RBST Watchlist, which reflects robust analysis of each breed’s genetic diversity and registration data, showed a mixed picture for the UK’s native livestock and equine breeds overall. Alongside White Park cattle, three other rare native breeds have been moved into the Priority category:

• Lincoln Red Original Population cattle: 2025 saw a significant decline in both breed registrations and the number of breeders registering cattle. As a result of an ongoing trend of decline, the breed has been moved from the ‘At Risk’ category’ to the ‘Priority category’.
• Boreray sheep: The breed’s conservation status has improved significantly over the past 25 years, however the last five years have seen a steady decline in breeder numbers and registrations. The Boreray is moved from the ‘At Risk’ category to the ‘Priority’ category.
• Soay sheep: A sustained decline in registrations sees the Soay moved from the ‘At Risk’ category to the ‘Priority’ category.

Concerns are also raised for:

• Hackney Horse and Pony: already in the Watchlist’s Priority category and in a worrying position, the breed’s situation has worsened with number of dams produced registered progeny declining by 41% in 2025, and the number of breeders falling by 37.5% in just a single year. The conservation of this breed is critical, and it is a key conservation priority for RBST.
• Cleveland Bay Horse: the breed made significant progress in recent years, however both the number of breeders registering progeny in 2025 and the number of dams producing registered progeny are the lowest recorded since data collection began in 2002. In a single year, the number of dams has decreased by 42.8%.The breed remains in the Priority category.
• Northern Dairy Shorthorn cattle: The breed has been operating at very low levels for some time and was already categorised in the Watchlist’s Priority category. 2025 shows a further decline in registrations and conservation of the Northern Dairy Shorthorn is critical in 2026.
• Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs: The breed has seen a 23% reduction in the number of dams producing registered pigs. The breed remains in the ‘At Risk’ category with the situation being monitored.

The data shows more positive indications for:

• Native Aberdeen Angus cattle: the breed saw a 37.2% increase in total registrations, the highest number since 2000.
• Gloucester cattle: registrations for this Priority category breed increased from 92 in 2024 to 122, and 2025 levels remain similar.
• Manx Loaghtan sheep: this primitive breed was moved to the Priority category on last year’s Watchlist, subsequent performance has been encouraging with total registrations reaching their highest level since 2020 and number of dams producing registered lambs at the highest recorded since 2013.
• Leicester Longwool sheep: moved to the Priority category on last year’s Watchlist, the breed’s total registrations reached the highest level since 2020. RBST will continue to work with the breed society targeting sustained progress.
• Large Black pigs: breeder numbers for this Priority category breed have increased, alongside improved performance on all collected data points.
• The English Goat: emphasis on the importance of registrations has helped drive a 132% increase of total registrations in 2025 compared to 2024. 
• Suffolk horse: 2025 was a very successful year for this Priority category breed, with the number of dams producing a registered foal the highest since 2010.
• Dales pony: saw total registrations up 9.8%, the breed remains in the Priority category but the progress is welcome.