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About
the Cobthorn Trust
The
farm at Cobthorn has been the base for all The Cobthorn Trust’s conservation activities. Cobthorn has
been farmed by the present Director’s family since at least
the 1820s and has been an organically managed conservation breeding
unit since 1976. There is a wide and diverse fauna and flora
at Cobthorn maintained by the organic regime. Major conservation
breeding
has been achieved over the years in many breeds of domestic cattle,
pigs, sheep and particularly poultry,
plus related wild species such as pheasants.
The breeding programme continues to expand and is a recognised
contribution to the biodiversity of domestic animal genetic resources.
The
Cobthorn Trust Team
The
Cobthorn Trust provides a wide range of expertise and available
services throughout conservation and environmental science. The
members of the Trust, both the permanent Trustees and the Consultants,
are all well qualified, highly motivated professionals with a
commitment to conservation of biodiversity and the environment.
The Cobthorn Trust represents a uniquely dynamic collaboration
of proven expertise and committed enthusiasm in biodiversity
and environmental conservation.
Trustees
(click here for
more in depth profiles)
Tim
Bray
Tom Burkitt
Barney Long
Luke Rake
Andrew Sheppy
Associated
Consultants
Joe
Boyd
Matt Crabb
Jack Sewell
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Rare
Breeds Conservation
Since
the early 1960s, major conservation breeding programmes have
been undertaken at Cobthorn in the main domestic species, cattle, sheep, pigs,
and poultry.
From
1969 onwards there has been close involvement with the Rare Poultry
Society and then Rare Breeds Survival Trust since its formation
in 1973. One of the Cobthorn trustees has served as a member
of RBST Council for almost 20 years, chaired their Poultry Specialist Committee and is President of the Rare
Poultry Society.
While
RBST is soley involved with native British breeds, Cobthorn has
always held stocks of internationally endangered rarities and
related wild species. At Cobthorn the integral relationship between
domestic breeds and their environment has also been a major area
of involvement.
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National Poultry Collection
The National Poultry Collection had its beginnings in the breeding stocks established
by the present Director in the 1960s. The collection covers all the main
domesticated poultry species of fowls, ducks, geese and turkeys. All the
traditional British breeds have now been bred in the collection, plus
numerous other rare and endangered poultry breeds from around the world,
together with a number of related wild species. Several of the breeding stocks
held in the National Poultry Collection are the only ones known to remain
for those breeds. Stocks are also maintained on other farms in co-operation
with Cobthorn. All the birds in the collection are of individually recorded
pedigree and represent a uniquely important genetic resource. Staff at Cobthorn
provide the top expertise in the genetics and biodiversity of domestic poultry,
supported by a unique library of recorded data and standard works of reference.
Further information and breed lists available from curatornpc@cobthorn.org
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Field
Conservation
The
members of The Cobthorn Trust have taken a very active role
in many Field Conservation projects, working
with a number of other conservation bodies
such as Wildlife Trusts and local authorities. Trust members have produced
surveys of biodiversity and species records for several sites, both in
the UK and overseas, particularly in Asia. Much of this work
is in the integration
of conservation into the sustainable agricultural environment in a number
of different countries including the UK.
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Education Education has always been seen as a key activity for The Cobthorn Trust. It
is of particular importance where it involves young people and schools. The
Trust continues to provide a range of talks, visit, lectures and field demonstrations
to address the educational demands of conservation awareness and the management
of rare breeding stocks in all aspects.
A significant contribution has been made in recent years
to the support and encouragement of student projects and expeditions
to many parts of the world, which have produced some highly important
results.
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Farm
Animal Genetic Resources
The
characterisation and maintainance of farm animal genetic resources
is a
principal activity of The Cobthorn Trust through direct breeding programmes
and advisory work. One of the trustees is a serving member
of the National Steering Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources and
was a contributor to the National Report published by DEFRA in 2002. Members
of the Trust are regularly called upon to advise on breeding programmes and
the status of populations within its remit. A database on poultry breeds
is held by the Trust.
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Expeditions
Members
of The Cobthorn Trust have taken part in many field expeditions
throughout the world, particularly in Asia. The Trust has been
a significant contributor
of financial and logistic support to a variety of highly successful student
expeditions and seeks to continue with similar ventures in the future.
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Research
An
important aspect of all the work of The Cobthorn Trust has always been
in depth research in a wide range of aspects of the biology and management
of all the domestic and related species. Projects have been completed
on the genetics of cattle and sheep,
management systems for breeding groups and environments. Current research
is into the provenance of purebred Dexter cattle, the relationships
and genetics of pheasants.
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Conservation
Grazing
Conservation
grazing was effectively invented at Cobthorn with the publication of
observations on grazing patterns for the various rare breeds on the
farm. Now accepted as an environmental conservation technique of the
first importance, conservation grazing continues to be used by Cobthorn.
Using both cattle and sheep, schemes have been prepared for a number
of conservation sites, including the restoration of Cadbury Hill and
the Site of Special Scientific Interest at Uphill Cliffs. Individual
grazing programmes are available through The Cobthorn Trust office
(contact services@cobthorn.org).
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Publications
Members
of The Cobthorn Trust publish scientific papers and articles in leading
journals on a regular basis. For a list of publications, please contact
the Trust (click here) and express
your particular area of interest.
The
members of the Trust are increasingly called upon to provide expert
editorial facilities for journals and conference proceedings, such
as ‘The World of Dexter Cattle’ [Proceedings of the First
World Congress on Dexter Cattle] and the technical edit of the Rare Breeds
Survival Trust journal [‘The Ark’].
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International
Meetings
Trust
members have contributed to a large number of Conferences and Symposia
worldwide. These include World Conference on Coloured Sheep – York
1994, Conference on Farm Animal Genetic Resources – Edinburgh
2002, International Symposium on Galliformes – Kathmandu 2000
and both World Congresses on Dexter Cattle – Cirencester 1998
and Queensland 2002.
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Cattle
Conservation
breeding groups of some of the rarest cattle have been maintained at
Cobthorn since 1976, including Irish Moile and Gloucester. Longhorn
and
Highland cattle have also been bred at the farm. The most important work has been done with the Dexter breed. Cobthorn
has been the most important centre of research into the breeding and
genetics of Dexter cattle worldwide. The genetic nature of a major
defect in the breed was established in a breeding programme at Cobthorn
and has been instrumental in isolating the gene concerned. Recent studies
have shown there to be very few purebred animals of this breed and a
small group of these purebreds is still kept at Cobthorn.
The
database on the breed held at Cobthorn is acknowledged as the most
detailed anywhere
in the world. A project to examine the genetic history of the breed
is being undertaken in collaboration with Cardiff University.
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Sheep
Seven
rare breeds of sheep have been bred at Cobthorn, where the most endangered
bloodline of Norfolk Horn sheep was kept for twenty years. Important research
has been undertaken, including the determination of the colour genetics
in Hebrideans. Working with rare breeds of sheep, The Cobthorn Trust has been at the
forefront of the development of conservation grazing. The sheep form
an integral part of the management of Cobthorn Farm itself, being used
to graze the poultry paddocks.
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Pigs
An
important contribution to the conservation of rare breed pigs was
made at Cobthorn with the herd of Oxford Sandy & Black Pigs. As a result of the
work undertaken by staff at Cobthorn a Breed Society was established for
the first time in 1985 and continues to this day, ensuring the continuance
of the breed. Several of the boars bred at Cobthorn have become the principal
sires used to perpetuate this critically endangered breed.
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Pheasants
Breeding
groups of wild species of Pheasants have been kept alongside the domestic
stocks at Cobthorn for many years. The most important species are the Jungle
Fowl and Gallopheasants, with early breeding successes recorded with Swinhoe’s
Pheasants in the 1960s leading to the establishment of a number of important
breeding populations, including at Bristol Zoo.
Currently
a breeding programme to study the biology of the Kalij and Silver
Pheasant group is being undertaken
and already meeting considerable success. A large new pheasantry is being
planned to allow the work to be greatly extended and to establish breeding
groups of more endangered species.
Members
of The Cobthorn Trust have also undertaken field studies of several
of the Pheasant species
in their native
habitats in Asia.
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Inside
Cobthorn
