Society summer visit
This year's Society summer visit was to Cumbria.
Click here for photos of the day.
Colin Hughes' Croftlands Herd
Colin started his herd in 2010 with three heifers from John Backhouse's Raincliffe herd after selling his Jersey herd. Longhorns were chosen as they would thrive on grass and silage and they were well known for being easy calving. The Hughes also have holiday cottages and a tearoom on the farm and the cattle provide an extra interest for visitors.
The herd has won many awards over the years in the Northern Breeders herd competition most notably in 2013 when they won best Junior Cow. Their aim for the future is to always try to breed better cows and hopefully increase profits.
Nicky Luckett's Wellhead Herd
In 1983 Paul and I moved to Wellhead, a seven acre smallholding, and decided to keep a rare breed of cattle. After a trip to RBST Show & Sale we decided that the docility, easy calving, good mothering and thriftiness of Longhorns made them good beginner's cattle. We bought the first two in 1986 and added to them through the sales over the next few years. Even with help from farming neighbours it was a steep learning curve!
We started showing in 1995 and progressed from 13th of 13 with a yearling bull at the Royal that year to Supreme Champions at Three Counties and Royal 2003), GYS ('04), Highland ('05 and '07) and Northumberland (2000 and '08 Land bought in '92 and 2005 has brought the total up to 84 acres. Most of it is heavy, running to 1000ft, and 2 miles from home, so the cattle are housed from late Oct/early Nov to mid May in a typical year . The herd now numbers 18 calvers, the stock bull Raincliffe Harry, and followers - down from twice that in late '90s – and have entered the SAC herd health scheme. Lots of changes since those first 2 in-calf heifers arrived in '86, but the aim is still to produce quality cattle – and to enjoy them