Quattro gets fired up to ensure rare herd’s future

A NEW bull has arrived in a Welsh park to help save a herd of rare White Park cattle for future generations.

Quattro is the new bull National Trust Wales have matched with its ancestral cattle at Dinefwr to keep the herd alive and flourishing.

Characterised by their pure white coats and black noses and ears, White Park cattle have lived at Dinefwr for more than 1,000 years – and the new bull has the responsibility of serving a herd of almost 30 females and their offspring.

Records of this iconic breed of cattle at Dinefwr date back to the year 920 and were referenced in the laws of Hywel Dda.

Besides their historic importance, the cattle are integral to the successful management of Dinefwr, conserving the land through grazing.

The breed is ideally suited to the terrain so it provides the most natural and effective method of managing the wildflower hay meadows.

Rhodri Thomas, who has been in training to take the reins as head stockman, said: “The arrival of a new bull has been highly anticipated. To sustain the Dinefwr line, we were searching for a pedigree White Park bull and we are pleased to say we have found that in Quattro.

“It will take him up to four months to serve the whole herd and we’ll find out how successful he’s been next spring.”

Unlike other White Park cattle, Quattro has black ears but no black points, which means that he is more likely to sire white than black calves.

The young bull is from a herd of White Park cattle bred in Devon but his family history lies in Dinefwr. His great-grandmother Dinefwr Phoenix IV’s painting hangs above the fireplace of the tea room in Newton House and his grandfather Dinefwr Ivan was reared on the land.

During a visit in February, the Prince of Wales – who has been president of the National Trust since 2003 and patron of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust for more than 40 years – announced a donation to the Save the Herd at Dinefwr campaign.

A Clarence House spokesperson said: “His Royal Highness was delighted to see how well the White Park cattle at Dinefwr were doing during his memorable visit to the park. HRH will be really pleased to learn that they have finally got a new bull to help continue the herd’s development and breeding success.”

With royal backing and contributions from the public, the National Trust are halfway to raising the £36,000 needed to ensure that this special breed of cattle thrives at Dinefwr, along with the landscape and habitats it helps to conserve.