Our herd of Red Poll cattle arrived here in April 2007.  There are cows, heifers (females yet to have their first calf), calves, and a 3 year old bull called Wheatfield Dukes Cherokee.  This suckler herd will be the basis for our farm business on our organic land.

The Red Poll is derived from the original cattle of Norfolk and Suffolk. The Norfolk cow, which was a beef type, frequently blood red in colour  was crossed with the Suffolk polled bull, from an excellent dairy breed of predominantly dun coloured cattle. The polled gene in the Suffolk suppressed the Norfolk horn, and in 1863 the name Norfolk and Suffolk Red Polled cattle was adopted and the first standard description was agreed in 1873. The first herd book followed in 1874 (compiled by Mr Henry Euren) and in 1883 the breed became known as “The Red Polled”. The Red Poll Cattle Society was formed in 1888. The colour of the breed was by then established as red, preferably deep red, with white touches only on the tail switch and udder.

Our bull Cherokee will be with the cows and heifers from April to August of 2007 and if all goes well, we expect to have about 16 calves born in Jan-March 2008.

The herd in the distance!