Farm of the Week: Heather makes up for lost time in the livestock world

Heather began her farming career later in life than she’d have liked but has made up for lost time with the ascendancy of her Coley Poll Herefords, winning championships throughout the UK and becoming one of the country’s most respected Hereford breeders.

“I’d always wanted to become a livestock farmer but in the 60s and 70s unless you were from a farming family there was little chance.

“I was born in Beverley but we moved to Lytham St Anne’s when I was three. I’d studied geography at university in Birmingham and went on to work at Grange Over Sands research station, including studying the effects of Chernobyl on soil and vegetation for what was then the Natural Environmental Research Council and is now Natural England.

“It was my husband Jeff who finally set us on the road to having cattle and we started with the Herefords in 2005 when buying our foundation stock. It was one of the breed’s best-known breeders Jack Henry from Brighouse who got me started.

“Jeff and I were both keen on having cattle but for years we didn’t have the land available. When a neighbouring farmer retired we purchased from him and now have just over 70 acres of our own permanent pasture in a ring fence and rent a further 50 acres from an adjacent farmer.”

The Hereford enterprise was teed up nicely by a round of golf.

“Jeff had been playing at Willow Valley Golf Club, had seen Jack’s Herefords, liked them so we went to see him. I became a willing pair of hands for Jack and learned a great deal helping him out by preparing his show cattle on farm and at shows. I’m quite a shy person so the idea of actually parading myself didn’t come easy and I don’t really enjoy going in the show ring, but I’ve always recognised it is good advertising for what you are producing.”

Heather and Jeff bought 20 Herefords from a variety of high health herds in Derbyshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire that first year including a stock bull from Jack. Today the herd is based around 45 breeding females that Heather would like to expand to perhaps 60 in the coming years. She presently has around 80 cattle on site at Coley Walks.

“Our markets are in selling breeding heifers and bulls either privately or at the breed sales; and producing beef animals. The latest breed sale is on Tuesday this week in Hereford where we are sending two 17-month-old bulls.

“When we started I sold a number as stores for others to finish, but we then took on more land and made the decision to finish them ourselves. Our stock is finished at around 20 months.

“Andrew Loftus of Weetons in Harrogate approached me having seen our stock at a show and engaged us to produce grass fed beef. That gave us the impetus we needed to take on more cattle and we now supply Ginger Pig in Helmsley. Beef from our Herefords is now served in London and abroad.”

Heather’s breed titles include winning at the Great Yorkshire, Royal Highland, Royal Bath & West and Royal Three Counties. These days, stockman Andrew Hughes leads Heather’s stock around the show rings.

“I had a bull, Calzaghe that I called Joe. He was too big for me to hold his head up correctly and so we employed Andrew, at the time a freelance stockman working in Devon, to help me with him. Andrew loves being in the ring and we won with Joe at the Great Yorkshire Show.

“When Jeff and I decided to take a holiday we employed Andrew to live here for two weeks and that led us to persuading him to join us full time. Having Andrew here allows me to take us to the next stage in the herd’s development. We’re now looking at embryo transfer work and moving the breed forward. We’re always striving to improve.”

The impending visit of young people will no doubt raise questions of Heather’s unique methods in preparing her show team.

“Young heifers really do get to enjoy going to shows. You can see them grow an inch or two in stature when they know they’re on their way. It’s pointless taking an animal that simply doesn’t want to be there.

“What I do in building up the relationship with my cattle that are destined for the show ring is probably different to many others. I try to make sure I’m seen as their leader and earn their trust and respect. I use the principles of horse whispering Monty Roberts style. I will circle them until they come around to face me. Once you have their trust everything is a lot easier. Then I start walking with them.

“I will spend no more than half an hour a day at first and then we start serious halter training a good week or two beforehand. Andrew makes sure they stand properly, don’t mind being washed and blow dried; and don’t get spooked getting into a trailer.”

UK Hereford Youth is a fairly new group and Coley Poll Herefords is a good fit for the numbers attending.

“We were asked to be the host breeder for the weekend that takes place on April 29-30 as a minimum of 24 animals to be halter trained and for young stockpeople to practice on was the remit. They will go through every aspect of preparation for showing, how to show the animal off to its full potential and how the handler should be presenting his or herself in the ring.

“There will be a stockjudging session and several of the breed’s top showpeople and breeders will be on hand giving their thoughts.

“It’s a great idea.”