During the 19th century, various kinds of lineback cattle were very common on New England farms.
When they lost their usefulness as draft animals because of mechanization, most of them were crossbred with Holsteins. However, part of a herd belonging to the Randall family of Vermont was preserved.
The "lineback" part of the breed's name refers to the broad white stripe that runs across the top of the animal's spine. The rest of the coat is bluish-black, though there's a wide range of coloring, including some speckled varieties.
The Randall lineback is medium sized among cattle. The cows are unmistakably dairy animals, while the bulls are heavy, strong, and easily trainable as draft oxen.