Breeding numbers have slowly been built up, and the Aeron herd of traditional Hereford cattle now has 22 breeding cows plus 20 followers. They have produced 11 calves between them, four of which have joined the herd of breeding cows and had calves themselves. Six years later, and the two original cows are both grandmothers. The following spring (2006), both cows gave birth to heifer calves, both sired by a bull called ‘Hartre Donald’ who had been born himself in 1968! We registered our herd name ‘Aeron Herefords’ with the Hereford Breed Society and then registered the calves as ‘Aeron Bluebell’ and ‘Aeron Rose’. The breeders of Connie and Bonnie put me in touch with the Rare Breed Survival Trust who were able to provide bull semen so we could use artificial insemination to get the heifers in calf. The heifers’ status as ‘Traditional Herefords’ meant they were part of a small nucleus stock of Herefords whose pedigree could be traced right back to the first Hereford herd book of 1847. So, I had got my first cattle, but had also entered into the conservation of a rare breed. They were very laid back in character, so much so that if they were lying down in the field you could use them as acomfy seat and they wouldn’t bat an eyelid. They were half sisters aged two and three, both registered Traditional Herefords raised on a smallholding near Lampeter, West Wales. A week later ‘Connie’ and ‘Bonny’ arrived on the farm. I had planned to wait until I had got to grips with the sheep flock first, and then buy some cows the following year, but I couldn’t resist going to have a look. In June 2005, I saw a local advertisement: ‘Two pedigree traditional Hereford heifers for sale, quiet and easy to handle, halter trained’. Every description of the Hereford I read mentioned how docile and easygoing the breed is whilst being excellent converters of grass and forage into high quality beef. After reading up on the two breeds, I soon began to favour the Hereford. I narrowed it down to a choice between Welsh Black Cattle or Herefords. With this in mind, I decided I was looking for a native breed of cow which would be easy to handle and docile, produce high-quality beef and thrive off grass and forage without needing bought in concentrate feed. The Soil Association encourage the use of native breeds in organic farming so that they are naturally adapted to the local climate and land type. So where to get these beasts, and what breedshould I go for? I researched the various native beef breeds to see which would be most suitable for my situation. The grazing cattle would help provide clean, parasite-free grazing for the newly established flock of Llanwenog sheep, provide manure to put back onto the hay meadows and they would be good at utilising the rougher wildlife rich conservation pastures at Treberfedd. My plans for the 50 acres of grassland at Treberfedd Farm placed a small herd of beef cattle as an integral part of the organic farm system. In 2005, I entered the farm into organic conversion with the Soil Association and into a Welsh agrienvironment scheme called Tir Gofal. The plan was to produce grass-finished organic beef and lamb to sell to guests staying in the holiday cottages on the farm and send out boxes of meat to customers by courier. I had no idea how I would handle them, or move them around, and was a little frightened of cattle at close quarters! I had long planned to keep cattle as well as sheep and was determined to see cows grazing our land, complementing the sheep enterprise. I had never worked with cattle before, so the thought of keeping such large animals was quite daunting. At the age of 26, I had a postgraduate certificate in organic agriculture, but very little practical farming experience. I began farming our small organic farm in west Wales in 2005. Jack Cockburn has established a herd of Traditional Herefords, and extols the virtues of the breed
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