History of the Senepol Breed

The Senepol is a two-breed composite developed on the island of St Croix in the Caribbean. It is the result of crossing the N'Dama, a native Bos taurus breed of Senegal, North-West Africa, with the British breed, Red Poll. The result of infusing the Red Poll was combining N'Dama's superior traits of heat tolerance, insect resistance and ability to thrive on poor quality forage, with the carcase quality, high fertility, feed efficiency, quiet nature and renowned maternal and milking ability of the Red Poll.

A high proportion of Senepol carry the slick hair gene, which confers outstanding heat tolerance and tick resistance.

The Senepol has been a fixed breed now for almost a century.

Australian Agricultural Company brought the first Senepol into Australia in the early 1990's to create composites in their northern herds.