Cattle

The Cattle at Perry Court Farm were introduced by Alan Brockman in the early 1970’s. He started with the Luing breed from Scotland developed in the Inner Hebrides from a cross between the Highland and Beef Shorthorn to give a hardy animal capable of producing quality beef in the harsh climate. As well as having a very good temperament, this suited the farm at the time as cattle housing was limited and it would have been difficult to produce sufficient feed for a less hardy animal.

In the 1980’s it was decided to cross the Luing with the Swiss Simmental breed to produce a faster maturing larger animal. The Simmental cattle are among the oldest breed in the world with records going back to the middle ages. They have been crossed with several famous European breeds and are recommended as a preferred cross by the Luing Cattle Society, producing a high quality beef.

The herd has been a closed one since it was started, with the exception of a new bull being introduced every 4–5 years to allow for replacements to be bred from within the herd. This method also improves the quality of the herd by breeding from animals that are best suited to the farm.

The cattle are extensively reared in a stress free environment, and are among the healthiest animals around. They have always been fed organically on grass, hay and silage produced on the farm, resulting in top quality beef.