Two of the UK’s iconic native sheep breeds – the Manx Loaghtan and the Leicester Longwool breeds – are moved to the most urgent ‘Priority’ category in the new Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) Watchlist published yesterday (24^th April 2025).

With serious concerns for a number of very rare livestock and equine breeds, RBST is calling for the Environment Secretary to re-establish the Ministerial Native Breeds Roundtable which was designed to support strategic and co-ordinated action for native breeds, across departments and alongside rare breed organisations, under the previous Government. RBST highlights that the encouraging new signs of stabilisation in several very rare breeds which were previously showing declining numbers, such as Gloucester cattle and the Large White pig, show the positive impacts that can be achieved through concerted and co-ordinated action.

RBST works to promote and conserve the UK’s native breeds of livestock and equines. The RBST Watchlist is the charity’s annual situation report for these breeds, reflecting robust measures of the genetic diversity within each breed as well as analysis of registration data. The survival of the UK’s rare native breeds is important for sustainable farming, regenerative land management, biodiversity, food chain resilience and genetic diversity; as well as these breeds’ immense cultural and heritage value. See the full new Watchlist attached or at www.rbst.org.uk.

While a number of the rare breeds on the Watchlist have seen welcome stability or improvement in their latest data, the Manx Loaghtan sheep breed and the Leicester Longwool sheep breed have both seen significant declines in the number of dams producing pedigree offspring, continuing negative trends of recent years.

• The Manx Loaghtan is a small, primitive, very hardy sheep which grazed the hills of the Isle of Man for generations before becoming so rare that by the 1950s there were just a handful remaining. These sheep have a highly-prized reddish-brown fleece, and are unusually multihorned with up to six horns. Since 2022 there has been a 34% decrease in the number of Manx Loaghtan dams producing pedigree offspring, and the breed’s ‘Effective Population’ (which is a measure of genetic diversity and does not equate to the total breed population)¹⁰ for 2024 was the Manx Loaghtan’s lowest since this calculation was first recorded by RBST in 2000.
• The Leicester Longwool is a large sheep with a very long, woolly fleece and dark ‘blue’ ears. Known for its spiral curl, softness and lustre, the fleece remains highly prized by handspinners and crafters. The breed played a large role in developing other sheep breeds. The breed’s popularity declined in the 20^th Century as demand for wool fell. In 2024 the number of dams producing pedigree progeny was down 29% on the previous year, and there has also been a continued decline in the Leicester Longwool’s ‘Effective Population Size’¹⁰. 

Rare Breeds Survival Trust Chief Executive Christopher Price said: “It is very positive to see signs of stabilisation in several very rare breeds which were previously showing declining numbers, such as Gloucester cattle and the Large White pig, following concerted conservation activity and breed promotion by breed societies together with RBST.

 “However our concern is deepening for others among the UK’s irreplaceable native breeds which are seeing their numbers continue to fall, including the Manx Loaghtan and Leicester Longwool sheep. These two iconic breeds really pay testament to the fantastic and invaluable diversity within the UK’s native sheep breeds, both breeds have distinct characteristics which enable the animals to thrive in their typical landscapes and environments. Both continue to provide nutritious and sustainable food, and highest quality fibre, to this day, as well as playing an important role in sustainable habitat management projects. The Manx Loaghtan and Leicester Longwool are moved to from the ‘At Risk’ category to the most urgent ‘Priority’ category on the Watchlist, and RBST will be working closely with the breeds’ societies as we seek to reverse these declines.

 “We urge the Environment Secretary to revive the Ministerial Native Breeds Roundtable to ensure that action for native breeds is co-ordinated across government departments, and to provide essential government support for the vital work being carried out day in and day out across the UK by RBST, our dedicated members, and the breed societies.”

Today’s new RBST Watchlist shows positive trends for a number of rare breeds:

• Gloucester cattle – highlighted in our Watchlist report in 2021 as a Priority breed of particular concern. Several years into a new programme of conservation and promotion activity by the Gloucester Cattle Society and RBST, the latest data is encouraging with the number of females producing registered progeny and the number of registrations increasing for the second consecutive year.
• Original Population Lincoln Red cattle – This breed was highlighted in our Watchlist report last year as a breed of concern due to a dramatic decline in registrations, another year of significant decline would have likely resulted the breed moving to the Priority category. Fortunately, the latest data is much more positive with the number of dams producing registered progeny increasing by 86% in 2024 compared with 2023.
• Large White pig – highlighted as a breed of particular concern in the 2022 Watchlist, numbers are now more encouraging for the ‘Yorkshire Pig’, including a 39% increase in the number of female registrations in 2024 compared with the previous year. RBST and the British Pig Association launched a new joint conservation project for this breed in 2022.
• British Landrace pig – highlighted as a particular concern in the 2023 Watchlist due to steeply declining numbers, the data suggests more stability in the breed’s numbers now and a very welcome 81% increase in the number of female registrations compared with 2023.
• Llanwenog sheep – highlighted as a breed of concern in 2021, Llanwenogs saw a 23% increase in the number of dams producing registered progeny in a second consecutive year of growth.
• Devon & Cornwall Longwool sheep – in 2024 female registrations were up by 45% on the previous year, this was the highest recorded figure for the breed since 2017.
• Welsh Section B Pony – this breed was classified as rare and added to the ‘At Risk’ category on the 2024 Watchlist due to sharp declines in breed numbers. Encouragingly, the latest data indicates the start of a flattening of this decline and even a slight increase in number of registered sires and dams.
• Fell pony - there were over 50 more dams recorded as producing registered progeny in 2024 than the previous year, this was a 23% increase.
• Cleveland Bay Horse - one of the rarest equine breeds and still in a perilous position, however the data from 2024 shows a successful year in number of registered animals and the highest number of breeders registering Cleveland Bays since 2019.

Sadly, alongside the Manx Loaghtan and Leicester Longwool sheep, RBST’s concerns are increasing for the following breeds:

• White Park cattle - the number of registrations in 2024 fell by 16% compared to 2023, but more concerningly the number of dams producing registered progeny fell to its lowest level since 2003.
• Large Black pig - the breed saw a 32% decrease in the number of females registered compared with the previous year.
• British Lop pig - the number of total registrations in 2024 was slightly higher than 2023, however the number of sires and dams used to produce this were down in the continuation of a concerning trend from recent years. The ‘Effective Population Size’¹⁰ has now fallen to a worrying 53.
• Hackney horse and pony – concerns for this very rare breed continue, with the most recent data showing a decline in the total number of dams producing registered progeny and the ‘Effective Population Size’¹⁰ falling very close to the FAO level of concern (50).
• The UK’s native goat breeds – A general trend of falling numbers, following a period of stability and growth. Promoting these breeds, their modern uses, and the benefits of pedigree registration is important in the months ahead.
• The UK’s native poultry breeds – significant threats remain to all the native poultry groups, including the risks and impacts of Avian Influenza and associated restrictions, and the impacts of rising costs. All the native poultry breeds remain in the Priority breeds category.

Two rare breeds are represented for the first time on today’s Watchlist, following formal applications for their recognition as native breeds and assessment against the criteria for inclusion on the Watchlist: the Cheviot Goat (in the feral population category) and the Ancient Cattle of Wales (in the Priority category).

RBST Chief Executive Christopher Price added: “Farmers and smallholders across the UK are demonstrating every day that our native livestock and equines are great breeds for modern times. They are selling the highest quality sustainable produce, using native breeds to regenerate the natural environment, and placing their rare breeds at the heart of farm diversifications and recreation enterprises. We are proud to work with these dedicated individuals and breed societies in improving the outlook for rare livestock and equines through scientific research, application of the latest conservation tools and techniques, support for breeding networks, and promotion of these irreplaceable breeds.”