AT Sale Green Farm, Himbleton, Andrew and Tiss Bomford have established pedigree herds of Longhorn and Hereford cattle and a flock of pedigree Blue Faced Leicester sheep.

They are enthusiasts for traditional native British breeds.

Andrew succeeded his father Basil Bomford, who took over Sale Green Farm in 1939. Basil had built up his dairy herd of Friesian Holstein cows to 220, maintaining 180 in milk throughout the year.

He and his wife Betty adopted the prefix ASHA for their herd, after their four children, Ann, Susan, Heather and Andrew.

The dairy herd was finally dispersed in 1992.

Now the 150 acres farmed by Andrew is all in permanent pasture.

"When we went in for suckler cows running with their calves and flocks of sheep, it meant erecting fences round every field, of sheep netting topped with barbed wire, to make sure the livestock were well secured. In all we put up 17 miles of fencing!" Andrew explained.

Longhorn cattle numbers in Britain had dwindled to the point when they were a rare breed.

But there has been a revival of interest in these cattle that are world-famous as great herds running on the vast plains of Texas.

The quality of their beef has been rediscovered again here.

Tiss (short for Felicity), from Elmbridge, came to Sale Green 25 years ago. Always keen on livestock, she had worked for Boots with their veterinary products.

"We employ no farm labour and rely on a contractor for conserving our winter feed of haylage," said Andrew, as we rode round the pastures in their little Kawasaki run-about.

"This is very handy to get us round the livestock and it will transport a bale of haylage when we are feeding them in the winter."

The Longhorn herd was established in 1990.

Their senior bull, Harford Samuel, is now 11 years old.

"I had commissioned Clive Roads to buy a bull for us and he said 'I bought the champion for you!' We have never regretted it. He has a perfect temperament and has sired excellent calves.

"We should perhaps have shown him more. He was Supreme Champion at Burwarton Show, outclassing the Royal Show Champion.

"We adopted the prefix 'Trenchwood' after the very extensive wood close to our farm. So we have the Trenchwood Longhorns, at present with two bulls and 10 cows and calves.

"All the cows are dehorned so that they can be housed with other cattle during the winter. At the moment only Harford Samuel has retained his horns."

A Trenchwood herd of pedigree Hereford cattle was established five years ago and at present there are two bulls and seven cows and calves. The Hereford bulls also run with a commercial herd of mainly Hereford Friesian cows.

"We have so far sold surplus Longhorns on to a rare breeds finishing unit, or to Happy Meats at Stanford Bridge," explained Tiss.

"Well hung Longhorn beef is super meat. We sell all out store cattle in Worcester market.

"We run a flock of 150 ewes. From our Trenchwood Flock of pedigree Blue Faced Leicesters all the rams are sold as shearlings at the National Sheep Association ram sale at Builth Wells."

At Sale Green Farm a flock of Swaledale ewes are crossed with the Blue Faced Leicesters to produce North Country Mules, some of which are retained for stock replacements.

The rest of the ewe lambs are sold to Worcester Hop and Cheese Fair.

The wether lambs are sold as stores.

North Country Mules are favourite ewes for their excellent mothering and prolificacy, and traditionally crossed with down breeds for fat lamb production.

As their name implies they are mostly bred in the North. It is enterprising to breed them here.

Andrew and Tiss also run some Kerry Hill and Herdwick ewes, enhancing further interest in our specialist British breeds of livestock.

They have also acquired a llama at Sale Green.

"He guards the flock during lamming," said Tiss.

"Before we bought him we lost several lambs to foxes. Since having him we have not lost one. He is very diligent in protecting the flock and will not tolerate any fox or dog and has also seen off a badger."