Native to western Scotland, the Highland breed of cattle is one of Britain's oldest, distinctive and best known breeds, with written records dating back to the 18th Century.

Highland Cattle have a distinctive appearance with their long red coat and shaggy fringe

Highland cattle are a hardy breed, ideally suited to survival on poor mountain land with high rainfall, making the most of poor forage.

Many Highland cows continue to breed to ages in excess of eighteen years, sometimes giving birth to around 15 calves which are generally given birth to outdoors.

The hardy nature of this breed means that they can be reared naturally, thriving in the hills and uplands of our country, without the need for intensive farming practices.

The longevity and hardiness of the Highland breed, keeps their farming costs lower than many other breeds, making them an important contribution to the agricultural economy of the UK.  They can be found in many areas of the British Isles and are in high demand in other areas of the world where grazing is poor and weather conditions cold and wet.

Highland Beef

Highland cattle produce lean, well-marbled, flesh that ensures tenderness and succulence with a very distinctive flavour. From a nutritional aspect, Highland Beef is healthy and nutritious with lower levels of fat and cholesterol and a higher protein and iron content than other beef.

More information

Highland Cattle Society - Find out more about the distinctive Highlander cattle.

Highland Cattle World - Read the stories of Highland cattle folds around the world.

BBC Countryfile presenter Adam Henson, who own and runs the Cotswold Farm Park was crowned Champion of the Year at the annual farmers Weekly Awards.

The Farmers Weekly Champion of the Year award is presented annually to an individual who has shown outstanding commitment to communicating farming to the public.  Adam collected his award at this years' ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

Peter Kendall, the NFU president, praised Adam for his dedication and down-to-earth approach.

North Ronaldsay Sheep in their native Orkney Isles

Through the BBC Countryfile programme, Adam brought the trials and tribulations of farming life to the public eye.  His constant battle with Bovine TB was made even more poignant when some of his rare breed cattle and one of his oxen had to be slaughtered.

Adam Henson runs a mixed arable and animal farm in the Cotswolds and the arm is famous for it's rare breed conservation work.

Cotswold Farm Park is home to many rare animal breeds including, White Park cattle, oxen and North Ronaldsay Sheep.  The farm is open to the public from March to October.

More information

Cotswold Farm Park

BBC Countryfile

Farmers Weekly interactive

In 1973 The Rare Breeds Survival Trust was founded to save the UK's native breeds and since then no breed has become extinct.

RBST is the UK’s only charity dedicated to conserving Britain’s native farm livestock.

Throughout the world, it is claimed that one breed of farm animal becomes extinct every month. RBST is working to make sure that this does not happen in the UK.

Between 1900 and 1973 the UK lost 26 native breeds of livestock, in addition to many varieties of poultry. Breeds with evocative names such as the Goonhilly ponies, Somerset Sheeted cattle, Lincolnshire Curly Coated pigs, and Limestone sheep, have all gone.

Rare Breeds Watch List

The Rare Breeds Trust Watchlist contains all native UK breeds of cattle, goats, horses, pigs, poultry and sheep. Conservation criteria determine into which category breeds are listed.

Rare Breeds at Risk Register

The EU places a responsibility on member countries to establish a list of holdings where animals are kept for the purposes related to the conservation of rare breeds, so that they may benefit from any special measures that may apply at the time of an FMD.

This applies to cattle, sheep, pigs and goats

Find out more about the Rare Breeds at Risk Register.

More information

Rare Breeds Survival Trust

The Orkney, North Ronaldsay sheep is small sheep belonging to the northern short-tailed group of breeds. Bones of similar animals have been found at Skara Brae dating from the Bronze Age and a recent genotype survey organised by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, demonstrated that the breed is still virtually unchanged from the original type.

Grazing their native shoreline

These fine boned animals are primitive, having evolved in a specialised seashore environment on their native island but they have adapted well to mainland management including conservation grazing.

Confined to the shoreline for the majority of the year to conserve the limited grazing on the island, these sheep feed mainly on seaweed.

The colour of the face and legs can vary and the fine wool can be any colour from white through to black. The head is small and the ewe’s face has a "dished" appearance. Rams develop a mane and beard of coarse hair.

The tail is short and thin. Both rams and ewes can have the distinctive horns which curl around and up, around their face. However, occasionally they curl around backwards, slowly puncturing the sheeps' skull, so regular trimming is often done to avoid this.

The North Ronaldsay ewes which have a strong maternal instinct, lamb easily and frequently produce twins.

Maturing slowly and feeding off seaweed gives the meat a distinctive flavour, much prized by chefs.

Distinctive horns of the North Ronaldsay Sheep

According to the RBST, there are about 3700 sheep still on North Ronaldsay and about 807 over the rest of mainland Britain of which about 554 are adult breeding ewes plus 90 shearlings, putting them them on the endangered list.

The different coloured wools, for which they are mainly bred, are popular with hand spinners, felters, knitters and textile designers.

In more recent years colonies of the sheep have been established inland and on other islands to prevent the entire breed being wiped out through catastrophe (such as foot and mouth). A small number have also been exported as an exotic breed. It has been found that the sheep's digestive system can readjust to a non-seaweed-based diet within two generations.

The images used on this site have been reproduced with the kind permission of Trevor Thompson, who's travels took him to a working farm on the Islands of North Ronaldsay.

More information

North Ronaldsay Sheep fellowship

BBC Countryfile - Adam's farm animals - Adam has a number of North Ronaldsay Sheep on his rare breeds farm.

RBST - Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Spirit of Orkney website - find out more about the enchanting Orkney islands

The British Araucana club first started out life as the English Araucana poultry society back in around 1915. By 1960 it had faded away and there was no more interest by many people in having blue egg laying chickens.

Black male Araucana

The few remaining people who held onto their Araucana stock were still very much interested in the breed, and by 1972 there was a renewed interest. The "new" British Araucana Club was formed. This is the club that is still in existance today, and is one of the oldest running UK poultry clubs.

The one thing that all members generally have in common is an enthusiastic willing to keep an old heritage breed alive. They do this by promoting the breed, selling "good" stock, blue hatching eggs, and presenting birds for exhibition at shows around the country. Members swap stock, eggs and experiences and pass on hints and tips to other members.

New members are always given a warm welcome to the friendly community, with experienced members eager to offer free advice and even give away spare stock or hatching eggs.

Araucana chickens are known to originate from the old Arauca region between Northern Chile and Southern Peru, in the ancestral home of the Incas (who now are more popularly known as Aruca Indians).

The Araucana is the only pure breeding and original blue egg laying domestic chicken. The blue eggs that distinguish the breed are very exclusive in the world of poultry.  Other breeds that are seen to sometimes lay blue eggs, have their origins with the Araucana gene pool.

The British Araucana has been listed as a rare breed with DEFRA. Keeping a living flock of a specialist pure poultry breed helps to maintain a diverse national gene bank in the event that new characteristics are needed in the future.

Registered club members' birds are automatically protected under this scheme. All modern production poultry used in farming today originate from carefully selected old heritage breeds.

Why Keep Araucanas?
Araucana chickens are a particularly hardy breed, requiring little maintenance. Their legs are not fluffy, making them suitable for wetter areas and  their feathers are soft and well insulated, allowing them to do well in low winter temperatures. The Araucana's soft fleshy head parts are very much reduced which minimises the possibility of sunburn, frostbite or cuts and abrasion damage.

So long as an Araucana has access to good food, fresh water, green vegetation, dust, shelter and some company, it will thrive, with a hen producing beautiful blue eggs for at least the first five years of its life.

Pure bred Araucanas are generally easier to tame than many other breeds, and will happily feed out of your hand while sitting on your shoulder or on your arm. Once they have learned your habits, they will recognise individual members of the family, and will express themselves by clucking, wing flapping and gentle cooing depending on how they feel.

Years ago, before aircraft were used as transport, Araucanas were kept confined on big sailing ships that explored the world. It was thought that they were not as fussy as other breeds when it came to accomodation. Nowadays, Araucanas can be found equally at ease living in cages on balconies and confined in compact back garden runs in cities.

The general rule is that a trio of hens should be brought up in confined living conditions from a very young age to avoid stress. Ideally however, a spacious lawn or copse is much more appropriate.

More about Araucana chickens.

• Araucana Poultry Club of Great Britain
• Crested breeds Club of Australia
• The Araucana Club of America

The Herdwick sheep is the native breed of the central and western Cumbrian Lake District.

Thought to be introduced by Norse-Irish settlers in the 10th and 11th Centuries, there are tales of the breed also being brought here on a shipwrecked Spanish Armada. However the ancient norse for sheep farm was "Herd-Vic", making the first option the more plausible explanation.

A Herdwck Sheep grazing in Rannerdale, Buttermere.

Herdwick sheep were originally bred for their tough wiry wool, that can create garments which will repel rain and outlive many softer fabrics but is sheer purgatory for the hands of the knitter.

The word “Herdwyck”, means sheep pasture and can be found in documents dating back to the 12th century.

Extremely hardy, they are ideally suited to life on the highest of the Lake District peaks and 
are managed in a traditional way, grazing the rough and rocky lakeland fells.

Left out on their high grazing through the lean winters. The mothers are brought down to the lowland fields in April for lambing. Traditionally the sheep were clipped in July & August but today the wool is virtually worthless and many will be seen shedding their wool naturally on the fellside as clipping becomes an uneconomical burden to the farmer.

In September the Ewes are returned to the upper fells. First year lambs or Gimmers are grazed with their mothers in their own "heaf" or area to instill a knowledge of their grazing territory.  A region which can be inaccessible and hostile, often covering a wide area over  miles of mountainous terrain.

Sheep could stray for miles, these strays were looked after by the farmer onto whose land they had strayed and returned to their respective owners each year at the local agricultural shows.

A young Herdwick grazing near Buttermere

Herdwick lambs are a dark brown colour, turning to their shabby grey/white as they grow. They are slow growing sheep and have a lower lambing output compared with lowland breeds.

Meat from the Herdwick has a strong quality due to it's slow growth and free range grazing.

The National Trust owns over 90 farms in the North West Lake District. Many have flocks of Herdwicks roaming their own heafs on the fells.

The Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association says:

The Herdwick’s hardiness and ability to graze over a wide area of fell is key to the maintenance of the Lake District landscape as we know it. By purchasing Herdwick products you are giving the farmers that manage this candidate World Heritage Site a sustainable future.

Find out more:

The Herdwick Sheep Breeder's Association

The Ruskin Museum, Conniston, Cumbria.

British Coloured Sheep Breeder's Association.

The Gloucester Old Spots are the oldest spotted pedigree breed in the world.

A large animal, white in colour with a minimum of one distinct black spot. The ears grow to be quite floppy, almost covering the face of an adult pig.

Gloucester Old Spots (Wikipedia)

Tough and hardy, they are well suited to the outdoor life.

Some of the best tasting pork and bacon comes from GOS and the dams make prolific breeders.

Its placid nature makes this an excellent breed for the first timer.

To find out more about keeping and breeding this wonderful breed, the Gloucester Old Spots Breeders Club have all the information you need.