for farmers
The Balsar Herd
Phil Close has been breeding Aberdeen Angus on Littleton since 2004. He started with embryos from Canada, the US and New Zealand and some Rawburn and Wedderlie in-calf heifers.
With some initial success showing, by 2010 Phil recognized that his interested lay in breeding quality cattle that could live outside all year round and finish on grass, rather than in the show ring.
Outwintering brings challenges, especially in the beautiful but soggy south-west of Scotland. Having read Jim Lents book on line breeding, Phil took the opportunity while visiting the US for a family wedding to pop into see Jim and his Anxiety 4th Herefords. These have been line breed for 120 years from animals originally imported from the UK.
The Anxiety Herefords are short (frame score 3ish), with a low centre of gravity, and so are more suited to our soft, generally wet, ground.
Phil bought some embryos, unfortunately the success rate has been low, but we do have some feet on the ground and hope to gradually expand the herd. We bought in two Kileekie Traditional Herefords in 2020 to increase cow families.
We are working to reduce the frame size of the Angus though this is a slow process.
We have some cows that are a cross between the Anxiety Herefords and our Aberdeen Angus. We are really pleased with their conformation.
aberdeen angus
Herefords
aberdeen angus and op hereford crosses
