Latest news with #RBST
Western Telegraph
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Folly Farm's orphaned lamb and goat become inseparable
Ted, a seven-week-old Torwen lamb, and Gary, a three-month-old Golden Guernsey goat kid, have formed a special bond at Folly Farm. Gary is described as 'cheeky' and full of mischief, while Ted has 'everyone wrapped around his little hoof.' Both animals lost their mothers shortly after birth and have been hand-reared together by the farm team, who gave them round-the-clock care. Kim, farm manager, said: "We only hand rear animals when absolutely necessary, and it's taken a lot of dedication to ensure both Ted the Torwen and Gary the Golden Guernsey have the best start, but it's been totally worth it. "They've certainly stolen our hearts and are adored by our staff and guests – especially when we're able to take them out for our meet and greet sessions." Ted and Gary currently live together in the Jolly Barn at Folly Farm. The two young animals are not just adorable—they also represent important conservation work. Both Torwen sheep and Golden Guernsey goats are listed as 'at risk' by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Folly Farm is the first Welsh farm park to achieve rare breeds status from the RBST, recognising its dedication to conserving rare livestock breeds. The farm features paddocks with rare breed farm animals from across the UK, with a focus on Welsh breeds like Ted. Visitors can now see Ted and Gary in the Jolly Barn, where they have become a popular attraction.
Press and Journal
13-05-2025
- General
- Press and Journal
Do you know your Bourbon Reds from your Nankins and Minorcas?
There's a niche area of farming – away from the mainstream business of producing beef, lamb, pork, chicken and eggs – quietly doing its bid to preserve Britain's rare native livestock and equine breeds. There are sheep and cows among these, but also pigs, horses, ponies, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. In fact, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) has more than 100 varieties on the 'priority' section of its 2025-26 watch list alone. They include Eriskay ponies, Tamworth pigs and Old English goats. There are dozens of poultry breeds getting the priority treatment. Chicken varieties include Andalucian, Australorp, British Faverolles, Buff Orpington, Cream Egbar, Croad Langshan, Minorca, Nankin, Scots Dumpy and Sicilian Buttercup. Bourbon Red, Crollwitzer (Pied), Harvey Speckled and Narragansett are among the turkey types. How many of these have you heard of? These fabulously-named animals are new to me. Then there's the 'at risk' category, which includes Llanwenog and Lonk sheep, Shetland and Traditional Hereford cattle, Clydesdale horses, Highland ponies, British Saddleback pigs, Bagot goats and many more. Many of these breeds would die out if it wasn't for the efforts of the RBST and a dedicated band of people throughout the UK who are committed to keeping them alive. Alice Lennox straddles both camps, having recently found her 'dream job' with RBST. She grew up surrounded by rare breeds of pigs, cattle, sheep, horses, chickens, ducks and other animals. Her mum and dad, Graham and Debbie Lennox ran Doonie's Rare Breeds Farm, in Aberdeen. For decades, Doonie's was a well-loved destination for visitors from across the north-east and beyond. It was also a working conservation farm, with RBST accreditation. But it was forced to close in August 2023 after landowner Aberdeen City Council decided to make the site part of the city's multi-million-pound energy transition zone. The Lennoxes had run Doonie's for 30 years, and it had been open since the 1970s. Now a few months into her new job as Scottish co-ordinator for RBST, Alice told me she was loving the role. She added: 'I'm spinning a lot of plates but thoroughly enjoying it. Alice won the rare breeds champion of the year title in the 2023 RBST Scotland Food and Farming Sustainability Awards. The accolade recognised her work at Doonie's from 1993 until its closure, and her decade volunteering with RBST support groups around Scotland. She is as passionate as ever about rare breeds and still gets to look after animals belonging to her friends. She's effectively the face of RBST north of the border, focused on achieving its objectives here. Her days are devoted to conserving and promoting native livestock and equine breeds as sustainable alternatives to the intensively farmed animals that have come to dominate our countryside in recent decades. Her duties also include managing events, supporting applications for funding and advising on conservation projects. Events she's at the heart of in 2025 include the RBST Scotland Conference on July 31. Asked why her work is so important, Alice said: 'Our rare native livestock and equine breeds have long served Scottish farms and communities. 'They continue to deliver important roles today and for the future too. 'Bred for local landscapes and conditions, our rare livestock breeds are ideal for high quality, nutritious and sustainable food production that also supports the natural environment. 'The equine breeds are fantastic across a range of disciplines, and the ponies are also excellent for improving natural biodiversity through conservation grazing.' Conserving the genetics of these irreplaceable breeds could also be crucial in the face of future disease outbreaks, the impacts of climate change or other as-yet-unknown challenges.' Alice Lennox, Scottish co-ordinator, RBST She added: 'There are fantastic examples of rare livestock and equine breeds at the heart of farm diversifications. 'Conserving the genetics of these irreplaceable breeds could also be crucial in the face of future disease outbreaks, the impacts of climate change or other as-yet-unknown challenges. 'These breeds are part of Scotland's identity and I look forward to exploring their future at the heart of farming and land management at the RBST Scotland Conference at Guardswell Farm, Perthshire, on July 31.' Through its 4,200 members, staff and support groups, RBST provides a network of knowledge to support and encourage those doing their bit to support native rare breeds. Native breeds play a major role in rural life in the UK. According to RBST, there are around 30,000 herds and flocks in the category contributing more than £700 million a year to local economies around Britain.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Breeder calls for public to support native sheep
A Manx Loaghtan sheep breeder has said more should to be done to protect the rare species at risk. Native to the Isle of Man, the species has been added to the urgent priority list by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST). It follows a drop in numbers of the species, flocks of which can also be found in n parts of the UK and in the Channel Islands, registered with the conservation group. Ruth Meade of Red Mie Farm in the north of the island said: "They're part of our heritage and our landscape and if they go they will be gone forever." The animals previously had a brush with extinction in the 1950s when numbers had declined after the introduction of other hill breeds. While the species experienced a revival, the disbanding of one of the island's biggest farms last year has seen numbers significantly decline once more. The RBST has called for the UK's environment secretary to re-establish a ministerial native breeds roundtable, which "was designed to support strategic and co-ordinated action for native breeds". Mrs Meade has been breeding Loaghtan for 16 years with her husband and they have about 100 sheep at any one time. She said after the disbanding of a farm that bred the species last year, the island lost about 1,000 animals, representing a third of local stock. "There has been a significant drop in the numbers of Loaghtan just because of that one event," she explained. Mrs Meade said there were concerns among farmers that "there are very few young people" breeding the species. While more breeders and keepers were needed, she said the public also had an important part to play. "The public do need to support the other side of it by purchasing the products - the meat and the wool - which will enable breeders to keep them," she said. She added there should be "a government interest in preserving the breed because it is heritage, and the last native farm animal to the island". The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) said it helped to re-establish the Manx Loaghtan Breeders Association in 2024 and "continues to support its work". It said a Defa representative would be attending the group's next meeting, which takes place this month, to "understand what else can be done to support the breed". Breeders also had access to funding through the department's agricultural support schemes, which rewarded conservation and sustainable food production, "both of which the breed contributes to", the department added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Manx flock grows to more than 450 Manx sheep to get 'greater recognition' Rare Breeds Survival Trust - Watchlist Department of Environment, Food and Agricultural
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Breeder calls for public to support native sheep
A Manx Loaghtan sheep breeder has said more should to be done to protect the rare species at risk. Native to the Isle of Man, the species has been added to the urgent priority list by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST). It follows a drop in numbers of the species, flocks of which can also be found in n parts of the UK and in the Channel Islands, registered with the conservation group. Ruth Meade of Red Mie Farm in the north of the island said: "They're part of our heritage and our landscape and if they go they will be gone forever." The animals previously had a brush with extinction in the 1950s when numbers had declined after the introduction of other hill breeds. While the species experienced a revival, the disbanding of one of the island's biggest farms last year has seen numbers significantly decline once more. The RBST has called for the UK's environment secretary to re-establish a ministerial native breeds roundtable, which "was designed to support strategic and co-ordinated action for native breeds". Mrs Meade has been breeding Loaghtan for 16 years with her husband and they have about 100 sheep at any one time. She said after the disbanding of a farm that bred the species last year, the island lost about 1,000 animals, representing a third of local stock. "There has been a significant drop in the numbers of Loaghtan just because of that one event," she explained. Mrs Meade said there were concerns among farmers that "there are very few young people" breeding the species. While more breeders and keepers were needed, she said the public also had an important part to play. "The public do need to support the other side of it by purchasing the products - the meat and the wool - which will enable breeders to keep them," she said. She added there should be "a government interest in preserving the breed because it is heritage, and the last native farm animal to the island". The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) said it helped to re-establish the Manx Loaghtan Breeders Association in 2024 and "continues to support its work". It said a Defa representative would be attending the group's next meeting, which takes place this month, to "understand what else can be done to support the breed". Breeders also had access to funding through the department's agricultural support schemes, which rewarded conservation and sustainable food production, "both of which the breed contributes to", the department added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Manx flock grows to more than 450 Manx sheep to get 'greater recognition' Rare Breeds Survival Trust - Watchlist Department of Environment, Food and Agricultural
BBC News
03-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Manx Loaghtan breeder calls for public to support native sheep
A Manx Loaghtan sheep breeder has said more should to be done to protect the rare species at to the Isle of Man, the species has been added to the urgent priority list by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST).It follows a drop in numbers of the species, flocks of which can also be found in n parts of the UK and in the Channel Islands, registered with the conservation Meade of Red Mie Farm in the north of the island said: "They're part of our heritage and our landscape and if they go they will be gone forever." The animals previously had a brush with extinction in the 1950s when numbers had declined after the introduction of other hill the species experienced a revival, the disbanding of one of the island's biggest farms last year has seen numbers significantly decline once more. The RBST has called for the UK's environment secretary to re-establish a ministerial native breeds roundtable, which "was designed to support strategic and co-ordinated action for native breeds". Mrs Meade has been breeding Loaghtan for 16 years with her husband and they have about 100 sheep at any one time. She said after the disbanding of a farm that bred the species last year, the island lost about 1,000 animals, representing a third of local stock."There has been a significant drop in the numbers of Loaghtan just because of that one event," she explained. Public support Mrs Meade said there were concerns among farmers that "there are very few young people" breeding the more breeders and keepers were needed, she said the public also had an important part to play."The public do need to support the other side of it by purchasing the products - the meat and the wool - which will enable breeders to keep them," she said. She added there should be "a government interest in preserving the breed because it is heritage, and the last native farm animal to the island".The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (Defa) said it helped to re-establish the Manx Loaghtan Breeders Association in 2024 and "continues to support its work".It said a Defa representative would be attending the group's next meeting, which takes place this month, to "understand what else can be done to support the breed".Breeders also had access to funding through the department's agricultural support schemes, which rewarded conservation and sustainable food production, "both of which the breed contributes to", the department added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
