What did 2025 bring for rare breeds and what will 2026 bring?

Rare Breeds Survival Trust Chief Executive Christopher Price looks at progress and new projects in a difficult year for farming

- 

The past year brought a range of adversities for rural communities and for farming.

Alongside high trepidation about imminent taxation changes, concerns continue about the spread of animal diseases, changing weather patterns, delays and changes in the transition between environmental land management schemes, and continued impacts of the cost of living crisis. Yet against this backdrop, important progress has been made towards putting native livestock and equine breeds back at the heart of our countryside.

Activities are well underway following our recognition of the Ancient Cattle of Wales breed as a rare native breed on the RBST Watchlist in March 2025. A valuable breed for today's farming needs as well as for its irreplaceable heritage value, the cattle are excellent for conservation grazing that supports the environment and biodiversity. It is a good economical beef breed in hill and upland situations. However, with a really concerning decline in new birth registrations in recent years as well as several well-established herds being disbanded, the breed's recognition on the Watchlist came at a crucial time. RBST and the Ancient Cattle of Wales Society now have programmes underway not only to encourage more people to grow their herd or establish a new one, but also to collect genetic material from pedigree bulls that can support breeding programmes and be held in the National Gene Bank.

SAFEGUARDING NATIVE PIGS