The legacy Robert Bakewell and livestock breeding

THE crowds flocking to the open days organised by the innovative Leicestershire farmer Robert Bakewell (1725-95) at his Dishley Grange, the high prices his beasts commanded, his portentous, secretive air (he had one ram no one was allowed to see) and the cannily promoted image of a food producer for the working class—fuelled what the papers called the 'Dishley craze'. 'Is it not amazing that this extraordinary genius should be able to electrify so many people with the same or nearly the same degree of enthusiasm,' wrote George Culley, a former pupil, in 1784.

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Bakewell's breeds

Bakewell bred the Dishley Leicester sheep, from which the now prolific Border Leicester and Bluefaced Leicester, plus the Leicester longwool, are descended. He is responsible for the magnificent Longhorn cow, produced by crossing horned heifers with Westmorland bulls, although it has now been overtaken by the Shorthorn, created by his pupil Charles Colling. Bakewell was an early developer of the Shire horse, creating an equine strong enough that only two would be needed to pull a plough