Castell Herd
The ‘Castell' herd was first registered and established as a Pedigree herd in 1946, although Welsh Black cattle were on our farm back at the beginning of the century and earlier being bred to milk as well as rearing for beef. At that time, there were many different bloodlines but it was decided to concentrate on the four most prolific lines:
These lines have been bred throughout the years to top quality bulls, amongst them are Tanrallt Tywysog, Esgob Eilir, Tryfal Hefin, Chwaen Elwyn, Rhydygarnedd Brenin, Ysguboriau Llewelyn, Pennal Llywelyn, Gaer Lenard and Pen y Garreg Foxglove.
We have around 70 pedigree breeding cows with their calves and their followers here at Maes y Castell. Cattle are grazed on the fields around the farm during the summer, and in the winter months they are brought in and kept in cubicles with the calves on straw bedding and fed on home produced silage.
Steers are finished and sold at premium prices through Cig Calon Cymru, a local specialist abattoir for Welsh Blacks. Average killing out weights are 360kg at R4L.
Females are retained to enter the herd with the exception of some favourites which we will keep. The heifers are available for sale privately off the farm.
It takes many generations of breeding to have a herd like the Castell herd, it is not something that can be bought or collected in a short space of time.
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