Hallsford Beef Shorthorns

The Hallsford herd of Beef Shorthorns was established in 1999 when we moved to Cumbria.

Why Beef Shorthorns?

There were a number of reasons why we chose Beef Shorthorns, but principally we felt that the animal ideally suited the environment and the system of farming we wished to adopt.
- Low input, Quality Output
- Easy Calving. Fertile
- Lovely temperament, Easy handling
- Hardy, Sound and Long Lived
- A number of Markets for the Finished Product

We strongly felt and still do, that in the current farming climate we needed a farming system that was Low Input based (Less susceptible to input prices changes) and had the opportunity to develop quality outputs where a premium could be sought in niche and developing, not commodity, markets. Those markets are:
- A good pedigree market
- Distinct Brand, Farm Retail Meat Sales. (Internet, Farmers Markets, Food Fairs)

We are also now delighted that Marks and Spencer have included Shorthorn Beef in their specialty range of meat products. Shorthorn is increasingly being recognised as a Quality Beef Brand.

Breeding Stock - We have 30 suckler cows. The foundation cows were largely from Glenisla and Dunsyre/Loch Awe. These were put to Chapelton Norseman and his progeny now make up about two thirds of the herd. Chapelton Warrior (a WHR Sonny embryo transfer) was bought in 2005. His tremendous width and faster growth rates are now being seen in our yearling heifers and young bulls. Earlier this year we acquired Blelack Dustbuster, the product of an impressive Canadian cow and Buffalo Lake Dustbuster, Champion at Edmonton Farmfair. We look forward to his progeny in 2008.

We try to breed animals with a large balanced frame, plenty of milk from a sensible bag and with good growth rates in our environment.

We put significant emphasis on genetics, and our bull purchases are based as much on genetic evidence as visual. We run a closed herd ie. no females are purchased, for disease reasons.

TH Status: All genetic lines have been tested. The herd is TH Free. This can be confirmed on the Shorthorn website.

Health Status: The herd's health status is monitored by BioBest. Year 1 showed that we were BVD and Johnes free. Year 2 blood have just been taken and a summary of the results will be published here shortly.

We also have a Pedigree Beef Shorthorn website - www.hallsfordshorthorns.co.uk