Even the bulls merit the breed's reputation for docility. They are active and get cows in calf to a tight calving pattern.

Gloucester steers produce a lean quality carcass with sufficient marbling of fat within the meat to give excellent flavour. Calves grow fast on the high quality milk of their dams and under intensive systems can finish by 2 years at a good killing-out ratio of around 52-54%. When fattened on grass they should finish within 3 years.

The management of Gloucesters fits well into an extensive system. Furthermore, providing the land drains well and they have some shelter and a dry bed they will thrive if out-wintered growing a good protective coat.

The Gloucester is a Dual Purpose Breed and therefore attention should be paid to both milk producing characteristics and body conformation. They are black brown with black head and legs, a white tail and a white streak down the back with a white underline. They have a dark muzzle with dark skin around the eyes and nose. The cows horns are fine, wide and inclined to turn up with black tips.

Under appropriate management the dairy strains will average 700 gallons per heifer and 850 gallons per cow, with average butterfat of 3.9%, protein 3.3%, lactose 4.6%, which makes their milk ideal for farmhouse cheese. Gloucester milk when produced alongside other breeds kept in the same conditions, is found to have a consistently lower bacteria count.

Double Gloucester is crafted using a mixture of morning and evening milk, hence the name, Double Gloucester. It is a traditional, unpasteurized, semi-hard cheese which has been made in Gloucestershire since the sixteenth century.