July 2025
The Ancient Cattle of Wales were introduced to members of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) last week thanks to a four-page spread in the summer 2025 edition of Trust’s magazine, Ark.
The article includes an outline of ACW’s history and the precarious situation that we are in now with regard to the number of animals and breeding herds. However, fascinating case studies on the four main breeding herds, Mapledraig, Dyfi, Temple Bar and Hafren, show why the cattle are not simply a piece of history, but also have vital roles to play in a sustainable future for farming. Whether they are used for conservation grazing or breed production, in organic or non-organic systems, several common traits shine through – their generally amenable characters, ease of care and their ability to thrive on poor grazing and in all weathers.
While RBST members received the English language magazine recently, a Welsh version of the article has been created, and we have permission to share it. It can be found on this page.
We look forward to meeting more members of RBST, as well as working with the Trust.