A smallholding in South West Wales


Glynelwyn Livestock

Faithmead Livestock

Our Pigs


Berkshire Weaners We currently keep Rare Breed Berkshire Pigs in the names of our sow, Bracken, along with Oliver the boar. At one time we also bred and kept Gloucestershire Old Spots and Middle Whites, but decided to concentrate on the Berkshires who are a rare breed, in order to help maintain those that are in danger of extinction.
Latterly, because of increasingly wet Winters we have downsized to just one soe and one boar, with piglets/weaners at various times of the year.


Berkshires


Berkshire SowThe breed originated in the Thames Valley areas circa 1790. Although primarily black in colour, the Berkshire carcass dresses out completely white, and has a high proportion of lean meat to fat. The flesh is fine in texture and has a distinct flavour.

Berkshire weaner

Berkshire piglets


Please Note


British Pork AssociationPedigree Breeders are dedicated to saving our native and rare breed British pigs.

Pedigree Pork is from rare breeds. There aren't enough to supply supermarkets.

Supermarket Pork is from hybrid or crossbred pigs. They don't help save our rare breeds

 

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Our Sheep

Our current flocks are based on mainly Rare Breeds with an emphasis on Longwools,which includes the british Gotland.

Here's a little about each breed:-

 

Bluefaced Leicester

Bluefaced LeicesterBluefaced Leicester sheep should have a broad muzzle, good mouth and a tendency towards a roman nose, bright alert eyes and long erect ears. The colour of the head skin should be dark blue showing through white hair. There should be a good length of neck laid into broad shoulders with a good spring of rib and a long strong back with no weakness behind the shoulder. The hindquarters should be broad and deep, the legs well positioned and strong boned. It is important that the wool be tightly purled, fine and open cleanly to the skin.

 

 

 

 

Corriedale

CorriedaleCorriedales originated in New Zealand but stock was introduced into the UK in the late 20th Century. They have a particularly fine crimped fleece which together with the variety of colours, makes them very popular with handspinners, felters and knitters. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gotland

GotlandFine-boned and of medium size. Hornless black head sometimes with white markings and free from wool. Bold eyes, alert medium sized ears. Small neat muzzle with even jaw and teeth set squarely on the pad. Slender neck and shoulders set smoothly into a level back with generous length, good depth and reasonable breadth of body. Slender black legs well spaced and upright. Short hair tipped tail. Dense, long, lustrous grey fleece, in shades of dark to light silver grey as shown in the picture on the home page. Clearly defined even curl and staple, soft to the touch. Calm, friendly disposition.

 

Greyface Dartmoor

Greyface DartmoorDescended from the local breeds, which grazed the low ground in and around Dartmoor, they are a slow maturing breed taking some 3 years to reach maturity. They are not classed as a Hill breed. Improvements were carried out during the 19 century using the local Longwools and the Leicester Longwool.

 

 

 

Leicester Longwool

Leicester LongwoolThe head is bold and strong on a short thick neck. The crown is well covered with wool, and the face covered in white (black) hair. The ears are blue (on white sheep), fine and fairly long with occasional spots. The muzzle should be strong with even jaws, and nostril dark in colour. The body is deep and of considerable length with full flanks. The back is broad and level, the ribs being well sprung. The legs are of medium length with good bone, well set up on the pasterns on dark feet. The legs are covered in white (black) hair, the back legs usually being covered in wool.

 

 

Lincoln Longwool

Lincoln LongwoolHistorically, the Lincoln Longwool is one of our most important native breeds of sheep. A large dual-purpose breed developed to carry a heavy fleece of strong, lustrous, lanolin-rich wool combined with a substantial mutton carcass providing both meat and tallow. Lincolnshire was already famous for its sheep in the Middle Ages when the wool trade was crucial to Britain’s economy and Lincoln was one of the seven ‘staple’ (official exporting) towns of England.

 

 

 

Teeswater

TeeswaterThe Teeswaters originate from the north east of England in the area of the River Tees. In this area the Teeswaters were used for crossing purposes on to the smaller hill sheep to produce a cross bred sheep suitable for fat lamb production on the more fertile land further down the dale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wensleydale

WensleydaleA very large longwool sheep, described by the British Meat and Livestock Commission as “probably the heaviest of all our indigenous breeds”. It is a visually striking sheep with considerable presence. It has bold and alert carriage which is accentuated by its broad, level back on wide quarters and strong thighs. It has a distinctive deep blue head and ears, which should be clean except for a well developed forelock of wool, usually referred to as the “topping”. Both sexes are polled.

 

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Our Goats

 

Anglo-Nubian

Anglo-Nubian goatsWe specialise in Anglo-Nubian goats which, although less prolific in their milk production than some of the other breeds, produce a higher butterfat milk and which is therefore EXTRA delicious - Well that's our opinion, anyway. The goats are milked twice a day and produce more than enough milk to not only supply the house, but also gets turned into soft and hard cheese as well as yoghurt. Any excess milk goes to the weaner pigs and the whey (having been separated from the curds when cheese making) also goes to the pigs as a special treat.

Anglo-Nubian goats

Anglo-Nubian billy kid

 

Our herd of pedigree goats are CAE negative

 

Angora

Angora goatsWe have our latest addition of 3 Angora wethers, and their fleeces are to compliment the yarn produced from our longwool breeds of sheep.

 

 

 

 

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Our Poultry and Waterfowl

ChickensWe run a fairly wide variety of hens for egg laying. From this lot we get "all the colours, in all the sizes"!

Up until last year, we also had a guinea fowl, who did a fabulous job of watching over the flock and anouncing any suspect 'visitors'. He has been sadly missed, and we have updated our coup and walk in run for added protection now that he is no longer acting as our fox alert!

 

DucksWe also have a few egg laying ducks.

 

 

 

 

 

Our Poultry and Waterfowl are DEFRA registered.

 

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