Jersey Bull. 40cm X 30cm oil on canvas. Framed and white mount, total size 50cm X 40cm.
 
This is an homage to the livestock paintings of the Georgian era which were commissioned by landed gentry to show off their selective breeding programmes, 'improvement' was a high tech pastime and yield improved by 33% over the period through dubious feeding methods - oil cakes being a favourite pre slaughter fattener and selective breeding. The artists must have been encouraged or ordered to exaggerate the beasts, especially the areas that were considered to be the most desirable such as the shoulders and tackle for stud purposes, as other elements on the paintings are of a normal proportion. The paintings commissioner often appeared next to his fattened animal and the country mansion normally sneaked in an appearence too, such was the modesty of gentlemen - has anything changed?

The Jersey is a British breed of small dairy cattle from Jersey, in the British Channel Islands. It is one of three Channel Island cattle breeds, the others being the Alderney – now extinct – and the Guernsey. It is highly productive – cows may give over 10 times their own weight in milk per lactation; the milk is high in butterfat and has a characteristic yellowish tinge.

The Jersey adapts well to various climates and environments, and unlike many breeds originating in temperate climates, these cows can tolerate heat very well. It has been exported to many countries of the world; in some of them, including Denmark, France, New Zealand, and the United States, it has developed into an independent breed. In Nepal, it is used as a draught animal.