Yorkshire's native rare breeds are at risk due to closure of small abattoirs, says Rare Breeds Survival Trust

It is one of the main projects that the Trust is looking at as it aims to have all the breeds on its Watchlist stable by 2028.

It comes as several smaller and independent abattoirs have had to close due to spiralling costs, increased red tape and staff shortages making them unviable for run. It has been having a knock on effect for farmers who relied on these smaller, local businesses to process their animals because they can’t afford the time and financial costs to use bigger abattoirs.

Christopher Price is the chief executive officer at the Trust.

He said: “We want to make it easier for people to keep native breeds. The one thing we have spent a lot of time on is the state of the local abattoir networks.

“We need them. They can process smaller numbers of non-standard animals – such as with longer horns and thicker skins – which are difficult.

“We are losing ten abattoirs a year and it makes it hard if they (farmers) have not got anywhere nearby. They will not carry on if it costs more to take the animal to the abattoir.”

RBST has raised the plight of the local abattoir network with new Defra Minister Mark Spencer MP and said they welcome the Government’s recognition of the seriousness of the situation, particularly the impact on livestock farmers in upland and marginal areas and were looking forward to working with the government on solutions.

There are several breeds that are native to Yorkshire that are a cause of concern.

In April 2022 the Large White Pig breed, known internationally as ‘The Yorkshire Pig’, was added to the highest Priority category on the RBST’s annual Watchlist after the breed’s decline in numbers.

The Large White Pig is rooted in Yorkshire but at one time it was being exported all over the world thanks to its many attributes including hardiness, fast growth and excellence in crossbreeding.

Decades of performance recording and rigorous selection has made the Large White more prolific than most rare breeds but breed numbers declined dramatically in the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth crisis of 2001.

The Dales Pony, a native mountain and moorland pony, evolved in the Pennine Dales of North Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland and at the height of lead-mining in the area carried ore from the mines to seaports on the North Sea.

When the industry began to decline, the Dales Pony found a niche on the farms and their hardiness and strength was also used by the army, but, increasing mechanisation led to a decline in the breed’s numbers.

The Cleveland Bay horse is an extremely old British breed and once popular with farmers. They carried heavy loads from farms to the mills and were also developed into carriage horses but the breed’s popularity declined.

RBST is also working with the Whitefaced Woodland Sheep Society as the number of pedigree registrations is low.

Mr Price added: “People are staggered that in many cases breeds they can recall from not that long ago are close to disappearing.

"RBST has existed for 50 years, nothing has become extinct while we have been here.

"The biggest threat would be a disease like the Foot and Mouth of 20 years ago.”