Northern Finncattle are a 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...

 from Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

. They are a dual purpose breed, used in both dairy

Milk

Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...

 and beef

Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...

 production. These cattle are usually white with pigmented ears and muzzle, and naturally polled.

Cows produce approximately 4000 kg of milk per lactation.

Breed conservation

Herds of Northern are kept at prison farms at Pelso and Sukeva. Private farms are given conservation grants to keep Finncattle. The Nordic Gene Bank for Farm Animals (NGH), founded in 1984, co-ordinates the conservation of Nordic rare breeds. Genetic studies show common ancestry with Icelandic cattle, Swedish Mountain cattle and Western Fjord cattle. These breeds produce a quality of milk protein well suited to manufacturing.