Belted Galloway

The Belted Galloway might not be the biggest of breeds, nor the quickest to mature, but what they do offer is juicy beef with very savoury character. Their shaggy, thick coat means they need less fat to keep warm so their beef is leaner than the average heritage breed. Their hardiness means they're often found on the limestone valley tops of the Dales, as the farmers know they'll be safe and sound come rain or snow.

Ed and Nicola Duggleby of Beswick Hall farm specialise in rearing grass-fed Belted Galloway beef and Oxford Down sheep, just north of the ancient minster town of Beverly in East Yorkshire. The family has farmed at Beswick for around 400 years, and their livestock graze in the River Hull Valley, on wetland that cannot be used for growing any crops or vegetables. The River Hull is a major migratory route used by birds for centuries and the area periodically floods. While grazing the wetland areas, the cattle feet create small divots in the soil, encouraging a whole new eco-system of invertebrates to become active and breed in the wet ground, hence creating a food source for many local breeding birds and also migrating birds passing through the farm and stopping by the nature reserves to re-fuel.