The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Rosemary on November 07, 2013, 03:44:17 pm
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Press release from RBST for information
This week five very important additions to the livestock on The Prince of Wales’s Myddfai Estate arrived from the North of England. They are Whitebred Shorthorn cattle, some of the rarest in the country. The project, supported by The Prince, will see the five cattle form the nucleus of a new Welsh herd that will help prevent the breed from disappearing altogether. Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) purchased the endangered cattle and arranged for them to move to The Prince's estate in Wales. The Prince is the Rare Breeds Survival Trust's Patron.
Originally from the Scottish borders, Whitebred Shorthorn - all white as their name implies – thrived until the 1960s. But then more and more farmers switched to continental breeds and their numbers declined in Britain till they reached only 150 breeding females today. Daniel Williams and son Dylan will be raising the new arrivals at Pwllcalch Farm on the Lywynywormwood Estate near Myddfai.
‘We are all so pleased with these fine animals and can’t wait to start working with them.’
Mrs Williams
‘It is great we have established a registered herd of Whitebred Shorthorn cattle in West Wales, this will help ensure the breed’s safety if anything should happen in Northern England in the future.’
Richard Broad, RBST Field Officer
In the longer term, the project aims to build up a herd of ten breeding females and a bull. Mr Williams, who follows his father at Pwllcalch, believes it's essential to save this historic breed for future generations.
Notes to Editors
1. For further information please contact Richard Broad, RBST Field Officer on 07772007399. Richard will be at the Williams’ family farm on the morning of Monday 11th November, if you would like to arrange a visit please phone him as soon as possible for details.
2. The Whitebred Shorthorn breed is over 100 years old, and was commonly used as a terminal sire to produce the Blue Grey cattle, a popular beef cross breed. Popularity continued to grow until in 1961, the Whitebred Shorthorn Association was formed. However, when the continental breeds were introduced Whitebred Shorthorn numbers declined dramatically and it is now one of the UK’s rarest breeds. It is listed in Category 1 on our watchlist meaning there are fewer than 150 registered breeding females.
3. The Duchy of Cornwall bought the 192 acre Llwynywormwood Estate near Myddfai, Carmarthenshire in 2006.
4. The William’s family are third generation farmers on Pwllcalch and are tenants on HRH The Prince of Wales Lywynywormwood Estate near Myddfai.
5. RBST is a registered charity no.269442. It was established in 1973 as the world’s first national charity for the conservation of farm animal genetic resources to protect the UK’s native farm animal breeds from extinction. During the first seven decades of the 1900’s, 26 native breeds of livestock became extinct in Britain. Since the formation of the RBST no native breeds have been lost.
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Oh, interesting information Rosemary thanks. I live not far from the estate. Charles and Camilla haven't yet dropped in for tea though ;D
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These cattle are 'locally common' around here, being the father of the very hardy excellent suckler cow the Blue Grey (Mum is a Galloway) - but I think we had about 80% of the remaining breeding females within a 5 mile radius, so this is very good news indeed.
Just hope HRH can keep them clear of infected badgers... ::)
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I'm one up on you then Sally ..... Camilla opened the unit I started disaffected young people .... she was great and even bought 2 planters they had made (I didn't know whether to bank the cheque or frame it! ......as this was pre royal marriage think I should have kept it!!)
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Makes a change from when I lived in Wilts near Camillas home at the height of all the scandal and she once got pelted with a bread roll in the local Sainsburys... :roflanim:
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I would just like to add that it wasn't me who threw the bread roll.
(just in case I get hauled off to the Tower) :excited:
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:roflanim:
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Makes a change from when I lived in Wilts near Camillas home at the height of all the scandal and she once got pelted with a bread roll in the local Sainsburys... :roflanim:
I was in Wilts around that time too... in one direction, HRH was my nearest neighbour! Whereabouts were you?
ETA it wasn't my bread roll either - which anyone who knows me would know, as if I threw one the last place it would end up was wherever I was trying to throw it... ::)
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I was living in Bradford on Avon for 8 years but worked in Chippenham and Corsham for a while :-)) then Wells then Bath.
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I was based in Chippenham in the late '80s. Then more north of the M4, Great Somerford then Malmesbury area for most of the '90s.
The tea rooms on the bridge in Bradford-on-Avon used to be my absolute favourite place for a proper Tea. :)
Sorry OP, well off topic here. :-[
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Still off topic but I taught at lackham (camilla's neighbours) for 20 years