The Farmers Mart Jun/Jul 2016 - Issue 46 | Page 54

Tetford Longhorns
A group of 2015 born yearling heifers

pedigree sale are now finished
as beef for the shop. Originally
we were selling from our little
farm shop and at country fairs
but then demand went up.
Now we are on the High Street
where we have been since
2008 and these days the shop
doesn’t rely so much on Tetford
Longhorns as we purchase
other native breed cattle from
selected local farms.”
Producing quality beef takes
time, great care and skill at
every stage from the animal’s

‘of course
bloodlines are
the key but I
think intuition
plays a big part
in successful
pedigree breeding’

birth right through to the
consumer’s plate.
“There are obvious no
nos and routes you never
go down and of course
bloodlines are the key but
I think intuition plays a big
part in successful pedigree
breeding. It’s not an exact
science so sometimes it
works, sometimes it doesn’t,”
said Charlie. “I started off
with the best stock I could
afford at the time but I also
know that the most expensive
isn’t always the best. There
were many occasions when I
could have put my hand up at
auctions but didn’t.”
He is rightly proud of his
awards for his cattle and meat.
“I may not have won as many
awards in the show ring as
some other well known herds
but then I haven’t spent oodles
of money either. The present

54 Jun/Jul 2016 www.farmers-mart.co.uk

herd is all bred from seven
females purchased in 1993. I
have bought only one female
since. I bought my first bull in
1994, and I have only bought
two bulls since then.
“You have to stick at it. I
have had my share of poor
years. Success has come
from producing the quality of
stock I have been striving to
achieve.”
Numbers of Longhorns
have vastly increased but
they are still niche in pedigree
breeding, and that means
Charlie’s business is somewhat
shielded from the fluctuations
of the market.
He explained: “Everything
that is born here, I have a
home for it, however good
or bad it is. Basically my
options are herd replacement,
pedigree sale or Meridian
Meats.

‘Success has come
from producing
the quality of
stock I have
been striving
to achieve’
“I get a bit depressed when I
see some sales reports – what
some people are prepared
to let their stock go for. This
in my view helps no-one. We
all need realistic prices. We
are professional people who
work hard, who have gone to
the trouble and expense of
building a brand for their herd.
I feel sometimes that better
rewards would be achieved if
a little more effort was put into
the presentation of the animals
when it comes to pedigree
sales.”