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The Hereford has become the most popular beef breed in the British Isles and was noted for quality in the county of Herefordshire at the beginning of the 17th century. At that time they were acknowledged not only for their beef, but also because with their large, stoutly built, hardy bodies they were excellent for work.

Members of the Tompkins family were the first noted improvers of the breed in the late 18th century, and their herd was based on an outstanding cow called Silver. In the early 19th century the breed was dominated equally strongly by the Hewer family and their bull, Sir David. Tomkins wanted to change the conformation of the animals, while the Hewer’s main objective was to establish a standard recognisable colour. The red, white-faced Hereford cattle seen in many fields today both in the British Isles and throughout the world confirm their success.

Herefords today are generally well suited to being reared and fattened on rich pasture and one reason why the breed has become one of the world’s dominant breeds is that the cattle have proved to be very adaptable to a wide range of climate.

The church of St Nicholas of Mira can be seen in the background.