Sheeted Somerset Cattle project.

[Henarar]

how long before someone is trying to breed them with a back end like a BB?

not long
good cross I would think

 

[M-J-G]

Surely if they are Lakenvelder sired, they just coded as a LV or LVx.

 

[wednesdayite]

View attachment 282758 View attachment 282760 View attachment 282762 When the Dutch nobility allowed their highly prized Belted Cattle to be released to the wider world in the 1700's they found their way to Somerset and were bred with local red cattle to produce the distinctive Sheeted Somerset Cattle breed. The last herd died out in the 1930's due to TB in Hampshire and the only record of what they looked like is a painting. First photo.
Somerset has no cattle breed to its name, unlike neighbours Devon and Gloucester so a couple of us on here have got together to use the same genetics to revive the breed.
Here are the first results of our breeding Dutch Belted ( Lakenvelder) Bulls with our crossbreed red cattle.
The second photo is a bull calf.
The last photo is Heifer calf out of a Limi X North Devon Heifer in close attendance.
We have more calves due this spring and negotiations are continuing with BCMS and DEFRA regarding the addition of a breed code to CTS.
In the meantime we will call our cattle Sheeted Somerset although they might appear as cross breed beef or whatever other variation might suit on the passport.
Our target is to have a Heifer and her calf on view at the North Somerset Show in two years time.
If you use AI on your red sucklers and would like to join in the project please PM me.
There are straws from 4 different Bulls available and there have been no issues with large calves causing difficult births so far.
Why are we doing this? Because we can! (And they are easier to find in the dark)
@Henarar @farmerclare

 

[wednesdayite]

The Dutch Belted ( Lakenvelder) Bulls that have been selected thus far for the Sheeted Somerset project are all available through the recently appointed supplier in Great Britain Cattle Genie Limited. They can deliver into a farm flask no problem and work closely with the Dutch bull stud who they are sole agents for. They have a website with contact details.

 

[topground]

I met with George Eustice MP , Minister of Agriculture, on 26th April in DEFRA's Smith Square offices when we discussed the Sheeted Somerset Cattle project.
The Minister supports the project and has instructed his officials to add a breed code to the Cattle Tracing System so that our Sheeted Somerset calves can be registered with their own identity. While we can call our breed whatever we like a breed code is essential for establishing pedigree status in time.
The photo is Tanglenold Adge at two days old.
http://www.cattlegenie.com/beef/ To find KI Samen and Cattle genie.

 

[topground]

As of today the Sheeted Somerset Cattle project has a specific breed code on the Cattle Tracing System. When registering a calf of the Sheeted Somerset breed look for LVK_Somerset_Project_LVSP on the drop down list of breeds.
Why DEFRA couldn't just add Sheeted Somerset is not clear but it is better than nothing and will lead to identifying the four generations of Sheeted Somerset cattle necessary to achieve pedigree status.
Onward and upward!

 

[JP1]

View attachment 325928 I met with George Eustice MP , Minister of Agriculture, on 26th April in DEFRA's Smith Square offices when we discussed the Sheeted Somerset Cattle project.
The Minister supports the project and has instructed his officials to add a breed code to the Cattle Tracing System so that our Sheeted Somerset calves can be registered with their own identity. While we can call our breed whatever we like a breed code is essential for establishing pedigree status in time.
The photo is Tanglenold Adge at two days old.
http://www.cattlegenie.com/beef/ To find KI Samen and Cattle genie.

I'm always reading about your work when I go down to Mum and Dad's in Somerset. You get a lot of local press coverage

You should register then with the Breeds At Risk Register in DEFRA in case of contiguous culls etc. I have the details of the DEFRA FANGGR chap if you need it

 

[topground]

I'm always reading about your work when I go down to Mum and Dad's in Somerset. You get a lot of local press coverage

You should register then with the Breeds At Risk Register in DEFRA in case of contiguous culls etc. I have the details of the DEFRA FANGGR chap if you need it

Thanks, Bill Lyons has now moved on and I have been dealing with Sarah Cunningham at FAnGRA who has been most helpful.
The story of my dealings/battle with BCMS from July 2014 when I first decided to recreate the Sheeted Somerset breed to last Friday when they added a breed code to CTS will be the subject of a thread on here when I can condense it into a readable length! What it demonstrates is that the Civil Service only functions in a positive way if there is a procedure in place to help them make a decision. If there is no procedure in place their default position is to say no. Any innovative approach is potentially doomed if the civil service has to become involved for this reason unless you know this at the start.

 

[JP1]

Thanks, Bill Lyons has now moved on and I have been dealing with Sarah Cunningham at FAnGRA who has been most helpful.
The story of my dealings/battle with BCMS from July 2014 when I first decided to recreate the Sheeted Somerset breed to last Friday when they added a breed code to CTS will be the subject of a thread on here when I can condense it into a readable length! What it demonstrates is that the Civil Service only functions in a positive way if there is a procedure in place to help them make a decision. If there is no procedure in place their default position is to say no. Any innovative approach is potentially doomed if the civil service has to become involved for this reason unless you know this at the start.

Did they get you on the rules of breed society articles of association complying with EU guidelines - they did that one on the Riggit Galloways

You should still get on the BARR

 

[Henarar]

I done my best to have a sheet but it didn't quite work out, I blame Mummy for being so red

Had this lovely heifer calf out of a LR cross heifer last night, calved easy up and sucking in half an hour, well pleased

 

[JP1]

View attachment 456280 I done my best to have a sheet but it didn't quite work out, I blame Mummy for being so red

Had this lovely heifer calf out of a LR cross heifer last night, calved easy up and sucking in half an hour, well pleased

What was the sire?

 

[Henarar]

What was the sire?

Lakenvelder

 

[JP1]

Lakenvelder

Ah ........

 

[GTB]

Lakenvelder

WTF is that? Is it a breed or a bull?

 

[JP1]

WTF is that? Is it a breed or a bull?

The original belted Dutch dual / milk breed that is believed to have created the belt in Belted Galloways too

 

[JP1]

 

[GTB]

The belted gene can't be very dominant if @Henarar 's calf hasn't got a belt? If you put a Hereford bull on pretty much any cow you'll get a white face.

 

[M-J-G]

Can a LKVx be classed as a Sheeted Somerset if it's not got a white band, are there stipulations?

 

[M-J-G]

View attachment 456280 I done my best to have a sheet but it didn't quite work out, I blame Mummy for being so red

Had this lovely heifer calf out of a LR cross heifer last night, calved easy up and sucking in half an hour, well pleased

That's a good looking calf @Henarar

 

[GTB]

Can a LKVx be classed as a Sheeted Somerset if it's not got a white band, are there stipulations?

Surely not?