Our Farms at Weeton's

Weeton's takes it's name from The Weeton Herd of pedigree Holstein dairy cattle founded by Frank Loftus at Preese Hall Farm in the 1920s. This herd is owned and managed by John Loftus and continues to be a source of high quality breeding stock. It has had a significant influence on the national dairy herd, and today numbers approximately 300 head after two major stock sales last year, although numbers are being rebuilt back toward 600.

The Holstein, or Holstein Friesian as it is sometimes called (denoting it's descent from the old British Friesian) is the most populous breed of dairy cattle in the UK and worldwide, producing over 90% of our milk supply. The breed's milk yield far exceeds that of any other breed, and indeed The Weeton Herd produces an average yield of between ten and eleven thousand litres of milk per cow per year.

More recently a second Weeton Herd of pedigree Red Poll cattle was founded with the aim of producing beef of the finest quality for sale here in Weeton's. This herd, owned and managed by Andrew Loftus, now produces a significant proportion of the meat we sell, the rest coming from other breeders of traditional native breed cattle here in Yorkshire.

Unlike the ubiquitous Holstein, the Red Poll is a much more rarefied species with only about 5000 breeding animals in the UK. Originating in East Anglia (indeed some of the breeding stock for the Weeton Herd came from the Royal Estate at Sandringham) the Red Poll is a medium sized breed, red in colour and naturally 'polled' or hornless - hence the name! It is now widely (if thinly) spread across Britain and enjoying a gradual revival as more farmer's recognise the superb eating qualities of it's meat and the ease of management compared to the Continental breeds.