Cattle
Initially, they were a dual purpose animal, but in recent years, cattle have become specialised and farmers have concentrated on either the supply of beef or milk.
A sample of each of our cattle breeds is normally on display at the Farm Park on any one day. All the cattle leave the Farm Park site each night to go onto large grazing fields and are waiting to come back into work each morning!
Albion
The ancestry of all the existing Albions, goes back to the early 1900s when blue-coloured cattle were first developed to graze the hills of west Derbyshire. That’s the reason they’re sometimes called Blue Albions or even Bakewell Blues, after the former spa town in the Peak District. But fortune wasn’t on their side and breed numbers were devastated by a combination of the agricultural depression, changes in farming fashions and, worst of all, outbreaks of the dreaded Foot and Mouth Disease in 1923 and again in 1967. It’s only thanks to a small number of never-say-die enthusiasts scattered around England, including in the Albion’s home county of Derbyshire, that we’ve got a breed at all.
I’m thrilled to have played a role in restoring a part of British farming heritage, delighted to be telling their remarkable story on TV and very proud to show them off to everyone who visits the Cotswold Farm Park. Welcome home to the all mighty Albion – the ultimate comeback kid.
Gloucester
The Old Gloucester was a triple purpose breed used for milk, draught work and meat. They have been famous since the thirteenth century for the production of traditional Double Gloucester Cheese.
Sadly they could not compete with the specialist breeds and were gradually replaced by Longhorns, Shorthorns and finally the black and white Holstein Friesians. By 1975 only one herd remained. However, numbers are gradually increasing with the support of an active breed society.
RBST Watchlist Status: At Risk (450 to 750)
Highland
All our domestic cattle are descended from the giant wild Aurochs as shown in Neolithic cave paintings. Highland Cattle can probably claim the closest lineage to them. They are mainly found in the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
Their thick hairy coats help them to survive in extremely wet and cold conditions. The snow and rain runs off their long hairy overcoat.
White Park
Of ancient Celtic origin and later Roman influence the ‘wild white’ cattle of Britain were enclosed into five Norman deer parks in the 11th century, by William the Conqueror’s barons. The Chillingham herd of Northumberland and Vaynol herd of North Wales have been isolated for so long they are considered to be separate breeds. The Charley, Cadzow and Dynevor herds have been combined to form the White Park breed.
The Cotswold Farm Park’s ‘Bemborough’ herd was established in 1970 and is descended from the Earl Ferrers’ Chartley stock.
RBST Watchlist Status: Minority (750 to 1500)
Cattle
Initially, they were a dual purpose animal, but in recent years, cattle have become specialised and farmers have concentrated on either the supply of beef or milk.
A sample of each of our cattle breeds is normally on display at the Farm Park on any one day. All the cattle leave the Farm Park site each night to go onto large grazing fields and are waiting to come back into work each morning!
Albion
The ancestry of all the existing Albions, goes back to the early 1900s when blue-coloured cattle were first developed to graze the hills of west Derbyshire. That’s the reason they’re sometimes called Blue Albions or even Bakewell Blues, after the former spa town in the Peak District. But fortune wasn’t on their side and breed numbers were devastated by a combination of the agricultural depression, changes in farming fashions and, worst of all, outbreaks of the dreaded Foot and Mouth Disease in 1923 and again in 1967. It’s only thanks to a small number of never-say-die enthusiasts scattered around England, including in the Albion’s home county of Derbyshire, that we’ve got a breed at all.
I’m thrilled to have played a role in restoring a part of British farming heritage, delighted to be telling their remarkable story on TV and very proud to show them off to everyone who visits the Cotswold Farm Park. Welcome home to the all mighty Albion – the ultimate comeback kid.
Gloucester
The Old Gloucester was a triple purpose breed used for milk, draught work and meat. They have been famous since the thirteenth century for the production of traditional Double Gloucester Cheese.
Sadly they could not compete with the specialist breeds and were gradually replaced by Longhorns, Shorthorns and finally the black and white Holstein Friesians. By 1975 only one herd remained. However, numbers are gradually increasing with the support of an active breed society.
RBST Watchlist Status: At Risk (450 to 750)
Hereford
One of the most important cattle breeds in British livestock history, Traditional Herefords contain no imported blood and can be traced back to the very first Herd Book records published in 1846.
In the period after the Second World War the native Hereford cattle had an unprecedented demand that saw some of it’s most successful breeders rewarded with prices for bulls not seen before or since. However, methods of production changed and consequently the RBST found it necessary to recognise the original population of Hereford cattle.
RBST Watchlist Status: Minority (750 to 1500)
Highland
All our domestic cattle are descended from the giant wild Aurochs as shown in Neolithic cave paintings. Highland Cattle can probably claim the closest lineage to them. They are mainly found in the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
Their thick hairy coats help them to survive in extremely wet and cold conditions. The snow and rain runs off their long hairy overcoat.
White Park
Of ancient Celtic origin and later Roman influence the ‘wild white’ cattle of Britain were enclosed into five Norman deer parks in the 11th century, by William the Conqueror’s barons. The Chillingham herd of Northumberland and Vaynol herd of North Wales have been isolated for so long they are considered to be separate breeds. The Charley, Cadzow and Dynevor herds have been combined to form the White Park breed.
The Cotswold Farm Park’s ‘Bemborough’ herd was established in 1970 and is descended from the Earl Ferrers’ Chartley stock.
RBST Watchlist Status: Minority (750 to 1500)