Jeju Black

Jeju Black Cattle are one of the indigenous cattle breeds found in the Korean peninsula (Republic of Korea). Since the prehistoric age, this breed has survived in the subtropical environment of Jeju Island (a special self-governed province of Republic of Korea). Evidences found in the ancient documents (the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty - the annual records of Joseon Dynasty, and the Tamna Sullyeokdo- the paintings depicting Jeju’s official affairs during the Joseon Dynasty) about existence of Jeju Black Cattle described that beef of this indigenous cattle was served to the king or used as ritual offerings.

Although a prehistoric existence, a substantial shrink in its population size in Jeju Island has categorized the breed as endangered until 1980s. In the last few decades, South Korean government policies in agricultural industry focused on automation and increased agriproduct outputs which had also driven most industrial interest to breeding of the major local beef source known as Hanwoo cattle (‘Korean Native Cattle’ or ‘Han-u’) than other indigenous breeds such as Jeju Black Cattle. For years, as a consequence, this indigenous breed has lost its economic importance to cattle farmers, presumably because of their impaired growth performances in absence of systematic breeding schemes.

In the early 1990s, however, Jeju Stockbreeding Promotion Institute (Jeju SPI) took initiatives for implementation of a full-fledged preservation and proliferation policy targeting Jeju Black Cattle. To date, a total of 150 Jeju Black Cattle are being reared under the care of Jeju SPI. In 2013, Korean government formally declared the cattle breed as a valuable but an endangered animal genetic resource in the country and sanctioned a Natural Monument No. 546, to emphasize its better conservation and proliferation. Besides that a total of 619 Jeju Black Cattle has already been registered in the Korean seedstock database system of the Korea Animal Improvement Association.

Jeju Black Cattle are humpless, relatively smaller in body size and body length, short and slender legged compared to other indigenous Korean cattle, and coated with black hair over their entire bodies. Their foreheads are broad; ears are upright, short and round. Dewlaps on their briskets are rarely found. Horns are found in various types, and some of them have two colors; black on outer sides and white on the inner sides, also similar to Mishima cattle in Japan. The average height at withers of mature bulls and cows at 36 months of age are 137 cm and 125 cm, respectively. Also, their average body lengths found are 154 cm and 140 cm, respectively. On average, the body weights of mature bulls and cows are about 600 kg and 380 kg, respectively.

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