RECIPES

• Welsh beef
• Welsh beef in crisis
• The aftermath
• Beef and its many uses

WELSH BEEF

• The origin of the Welsh beef cattle industry is well documented from its Celtic roots, through the times of the Romans and Normans and right up to the present day. In fact, it wasn’t until the Norman times that a beef cattle industry was created with any degree of purpose.



• The indigenous beef cattle breed of Wales is the Welsh Black and they’ve grazed on the pastures of our land for several thousand years. The rich and lush grasslands combined with an ideal climate and environment makes for ideal conditions for livestock production in Wales.



• Many centuries ago, the Welsh Black (as with other types of livestock and natural products) was also viewed as a currency and often referred to as "the black gold from the Welsh hills" as a consequence. Cattle movement across the country aided in the development of an infrastructure of services such as banking and the laying of roads in Wales.



• Indeed, the key to the production of high quality beef in Wales lies in the abundance of grassland at the disposal of Welsh farmers. Its growth and flourish is reliant on the mineral enriched soils that, along with much care and attention, ensures the Cattle have an environment in which to thrive.



• The production of beef occupies a significant role in Welsh agriculture, which in itself is crucial to our economy. In Wales there are over 225,000 breeding cows and, at any one time, the total size of the herd stands at over 1.5 million. Livestock production is a specialist business and is the focal agricultural endeavour in Wales with farmers raising beef cattle primarily in the north whilst their counterparts in the south concentrate more on the dairy industry.



• Welsh beef comes from cattle that’s been born, bred and reared solely on Welsh farms. A system exists where strict health and safety guidelines have to be adhered to and where all cattle are examined every 12 to 18 months by veterinary inspectors. There are also regular random spot-checks undertaken and this attention to animal welfare helps to maintain excellent standards of production for high-quality beef.