Durham Ox
Encyclopedia
The Durham Ox was a castrated
bull
which became famous in the early 19th century for its shape, size and weight. It was an early example of what became the Shorthorn
breed of cattle
, and helped establish the standards by which the breed was to be defined.
near Darlington
in North-East England. Colling, together with his brother Robert
who farmed at nearby Barmpton
, was one of the pioneers of the cattle-breeding movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. After a visit in 1784 to Robert Bakewell
, a successful breeder of Longhorn cattle
, Colling began using Bakewell’s techniques to develop and improve the Shorthorn breed. The animal eventually known as the Durham Ox was the grandson of Colling’s original bull “Hubbach”, and became known as the Ketton Ox when it was exhibited in Darlington
in 1799. It was painted as such at five years old in 1801 by George Cuit of Richmond
.
In 1801 the ox was sold to John Day of Harmston, near Lincoln, for £250 (2010: £ ). Day renamed it the Durham Ox and had a carriage specially made to transport it, drawn by four horses. For the next five years it toured with him around England and Scotland, exhibited to the public at agricultural fairs and other events. It proved extremely popular. For most of 1802 the Durham Ox was on show in London, where it is recorded that in one single day admission fees to see it totalled £97.
A dedication accompanying a painting of the ox by John Boultbee (1753–1812) in 1802 gave details of the animal’s measurements and estimated its weight as 171 stone
(1,086 kg), but later estimates ran as high as 270 stone (1,715 kg), although there may be some confusion as the stone was not a standardised weight at the time. Whilst its size and weight partially accounts for the admiration it attracted, it was also regarded as a particularly fine and well-proportioned example of its type, at a time when the concept of selective breeding for particular characteristics was just becoming established in agriculture.
On show in Oxford
during February 1807, the ox damaged its hip as it was getting out of its carriage. The injury failed to heal, and on 15 April 1807 it had to be slaughtered. Its weight after death was reported to be 189 stone (1,200 kg).
in Victoria, Australia
.
Castration
Castration is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testicles or a female loses the functions of the ovaries.-Humans:...
bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
which became famous in the early 19th century for its shape, size and weight. It was an early example of what became the Shorthorn
Shorthorn
The Shorthorn breed of cattle originated in the North East of England in the late 18th century. The breed was developed as dual purpose, suitable for both dairy and beef production; however there were always certain blood lines within the breed which emphasised one quality or the other...
breed of cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, and helped establish the standards by which the breed was to be defined.
History
The animal was born in March 1796 and was bred by Charles Colling of Ketton Hall, BraffertonBrafferton, County Durham
Brafferton is a village in the borough of Darlington and the traditional and ceremonial counties of Durham in England. It is situated between Darlington and Newton Aycliffe, a short distance from Coatham Mundeville....
near Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
in North-East England. Colling, together with his brother Robert
Robert Colling
Robert Colling , and his brother Charles , English stock breeders, famous for their improvement of the Shorthorn breed of cattle, were the sons of Charles Colling, a farmer of Ketton near Darlington. Their lives are closely connected with the history of the Shorthorn breed...
who farmed at nearby Barmpton
Barmpton
Barmpton is a small village in the borough of Darlington and the ceremonial county ofCounty Durham, England. It is situated a short distance to the north-east of Darlington, on the River Skerne, a tributary of the Tees....
, was one of the pioneers of the cattle-breeding movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. After a visit in 1784 to Robert Bakewell
Robert Bakewell (farmer)
Robert Bakewell was a British agriculturalist, now recognized as one of the most important figures in the British Agricultural Revolution. In addition to work in agronomy, Bakewell is particularly notable as the first to implement systematic selective breeding of livestock...
, a successful breeder of Longhorn cattle
Longhorn cattle
Longhorn cattle are a long-horned brown and white breed of beef cattle originating from Craven in the north of England. They have a white patch along the line of their spine and under their bellies....
, Colling began using Bakewell’s techniques to develop and improve the Shorthorn breed. The animal eventually known as the Durham Ox was the grandson of Colling’s original bull “Hubbach”, and became known as the Ketton Ox when it was exhibited in Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
in 1799. It was painted as such at five years old in 1801 by George Cuit of Richmond
Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
.
In 1801 the ox was sold to John Day of Harmston, near Lincoln, for £250 (2010: £ ). Day renamed it the Durham Ox and had a carriage specially made to transport it, drawn by four horses. For the next five years it toured with him around England and Scotland, exhibited to the public at agricultural fairs and other events. It proved extremely popular. For most of 1802 the Durham Ox was on show in London, where it is recorded that in one single day admission fees to see it totalled £97.
A dedication accompanying a painting of the ox by John Boultbee (1753–1812) in 1802 gave details of the animal’s measurements and estimated its weight as 171 stone
Stone (weight)
The stone is a units of measurement that was used in many North European countries until the advent of metrication. It value, which ranged from 3 kg to 12 kg, varied from city to city and also often from commodity to commodity...
(1,086 kg), but later estimates ran as high as 270 stone (1,715 kg), although there may be some confusion as the stone was not a standardised weight at the time. Whilst its size and weight partially accounts for the admiration it attracted, it was also regarded as a particularly fine and well-proportioned example of its type, at a time when the concept of selective breeding for particular characteristics was just becoming established in agriculture.
On show in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
during February 1807, the ox damaged its hip as it was getting out of its carriage. The injury failed to heal, and on 15 April 1807 it had to be slaughtered. Its weight after death was reported to be 189 stone (1,200 kg).
The Durham Ox in popular culture
The ox was painted by various artists during its lifetime and pictures of it were reproduced and sold commercially. A coloured engraving after John Boultbee’s picture of 1802 sold 2,000 prints in that year alone. China and porcelain was produced, decorated with pictures of the ox, including a range of blue and white Staffordshire pottery. The impact made by the Durham Ox is reflected in the large number of British pubs named for the creature and a town Durham OxDurham Ox, Victoria
Durham Ox is a small rural locality in the Shire of Loddon in Victoria, Australia.It is situated on the Serpentine Creek, a tributary of the Loddon River. This is a highly valuable natural and irrigation resource to both the local tourism and agriculture economies.This community is widely known...
in Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
External links
- The Durham Ox - painting of The Durham Ox, 1804
- A Matter of Good Breeding