Shorthorns have been the breed of choice for four generations of Turtons at Upsall Castle Farms, Thirsk, North Yorkshire. Sir Edmund Turton, is recorded back in 1909 to be the first establishing the breed on the farm. The current owner Hon. Gerald Turton manages the farm along with the support of his family and Scottish Stocks Man, George McCulloch and his wife Maureen. Who look after the day to day management and care of the stock.
The farm estate covers over 2000 acres of land, with the stock covering a large majority of that having natural grazing land and shed stock.
The stock is bred instilling tradition of the breed maintaining ‘Family lines’, ensuring the best traits of the breed are not compromised such as manners, size, conformation, growth rates and milk.
Back in 1909 Sir Edmund Turton, the great uncle of Gerald Turton purchased four pedigree heifers and his first bull calf was registered in Coates Herd Book in 1909. The most recent family member to become interested is his son Robin.
Before the second World War Upsall heifers were being sold to Canada, and after the war bulls were sold as far afield as to Russia, New Zealand and South America. In 1960 our first Polled bull Hilldale Collynie 100th (P) was purchased. He had been bred on the West Coast of America.
In 1966 ‘Constructor’ was purchased this Bull was was the only polled son of ‘Bapton Constructor’ who had been flown to Bapton from Canada as a ten month old calf, and had bred well for them. Gerald had always thought that the Victoria family, which had been imported from Lewis Thieman in Missouri, a noted American breed, was the best polled family at Bapton. When Gordon Blackstock was tragically killed in a car accident, Gerald took the opportunity of buying three good representatives at the Bapton dispersal sale.
The Bull ‘Colonel’, who became prominent at Uppermill breeding a number of Perth Supreme Champions and Summer Show Champions, was bred from this line at Upsall Castle Farms.
Since then we have used artificial insemination (AI) and embryos to introduce new blood. In the nineties we used two Canadian Glenford bulls, which did much to clean up the shoulders, improving the udders along with giving good length and size. In 1998 we purchased Loch Awe Lysander (P), a Perth Supreme Champion, who gave us some lovely breeding cows.
Three years later we were very fortunate in purchasing David MacLeod’s stock bull who in 2005 produced our Perth Supreme Champion, Senior Champion and a series of other good sons. At the same Perth sale an Upsall bred son of Loch Awe Lysandern was Junior Champion, having been purchased at one of our regular four yearly on-farm production sales.
We pride ourselves on providing the best Shorthorn Bulls throughout the UK. Our bulls are suitable for all types of production.
