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What's this beast?


Mac of Cygnet

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They, or their like, have been there at least five or six years - we used to see them when we were moored in the Midlands.

For some reason I thought they were a Scottish breed, maybe because they look fierce and are incomprehensible.

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Richard is spot on - they have been there for some time now, but whether they make good burgers or not ?????

 

I've studied them on a couple of occasions - and they have never shown any inclination to start cooking . . . . . .

though I'm sure they could get a job at McDon*lds if they applied and sent in a one page CV

Edited by Grace & Favour
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Longhorn Cattle are one of Englands ancient breeds, and although a general purpose beast, these days they are used predominantly for Suckling beef.

 

Althouigh still officially a rare breed, numbers have increased substantially over the past few years to the extent that the breed is no longer considered to be at risk.

 

Lovely gentle animals which birth easily and look after theri young very attentively.

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They're fantastic.

 

Does anyone in the UK still work with Oxen?

 

It was a Sussex tradition and lasted for a long time on the South Downs.

 

 

There is a chap working at the Welad & Downland Museum, nr Chichester, (Lots of info under 'Cattle' section) - who raised a couple of Sussex cattle from birth, he spent hours yoke training them to be driven. I heard that one had died and I see that they are working with a couple of heifers now.

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There is a chap working at the Welad & Downland Museum, nr Chichester, (Lots of info under 'Cattle' section) - who raised a couple of Sussex cattle from birth, he spent hours yoke training them to be driven. I heard that one had died and I see that they are working with a couple of heifers now.

Adam Henson, the farmer who helps present "Country File" on TV, had a couple of Longhorn Oxen on his cotswold Farm. Unfortunately one of them developed TB, and had to be put down. I believe he is now in the process of aquiring two more to train as draught Oxen

Edited by David Schweizer
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They look like Leicester Longhorns that were the first cattle to be bred using a genetic selective breeding program devised by George Bakewell of Dishley (near Loughborough) in the 1780's. They were part of the protein delivery system that sustained the the second Industrial Revolution from that time. The meat tended to be a bit fatty and became less popular in the mid victorian period where other cattle bred through similar programs to be less fatty became more popular with housewives. The longhorns can also be spotted south of Leicester in the fields behind the Kings Lock Tea Rooms where the city council have introduced them to break up the tussocks and allow the natural grasses to flourish.

 

George Bakewell also bred the Leicester sheep which was the basis of flocks all over the world and help sustain colonies in Australia, New Zealand and the Americas. Loughborough is well know in the antipodies because of this man.

 

I'm not a geek, just the chap who made Dishley's village sign! :lol:

 

mmmmm mint sauce or mustard.

 

I was out filming the Leicester moos last month

Dscf6183.jpg

A nice place if you ignore the pylons - I did this poster to celebrate the water meadows

AylestoneMeadowsCampaignPoster01withBordermedium.jpg

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roger, that doesn't mean there are plans to build on it are there??

 

 

In the 1960's the council created a dump on a middle section from untreated domestic waste as a cost cutting and land recovery exercise. Only suitable for recreation purposes due to methane, it has been used since to graze horses. Now with a grant from the Football Association (or such like) They can now afford to build a soccer complex with two pitches with massive floodlit towers to extend it's use and earning potential during the winter months.

 

Surprisingly and especially after the great success of Engerland in the World Cup not many Leicester folk who treasure the place as an escape from the Urban Cage relish the idea. At all.

 

This is poster two, exploring the possible realities of this money making scheme going ahead. There are no real planning objections that can be made except on grounds of public consultation or democracy and the council (it doesn't seem to matter who is in power) will roll it out regardless.

AylestoneMeadowsCampaignPoster02withBorder-medium.jpg

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