Moyletra Irish Moileds owned by David and Sandra Scott
Moyletra Moileds are a small family team based outside Garvagh who farm along the North Coast in Northern Ireland. They produce and sell their Irish Moilie beef direct and online. They also maintain a regular supply to renowned restaurants and businesses and excitedly are finalists in the upcoming Irish Food Awards! Moyletra Moileds are one of the largest herds of around 130 Irish Moiled cattle, if you visit conservation grazing places on the North Coast you will mostly likely find the Moilies foraging very happily in the stunning natural habitats.
The Scott family are a bustling family of seven who spend much of their time running after hens, pigs, sheep but more recently the Irish Moiled cattle have taken over and, in their words, “they may have ended up a bit mollie mad”.
The family are fifth generation and have been farming in Moyletra Kill since 1878. David began farming in 2001 after leaving agricultural college, starting a suckler herd with continental cattle. After they started a family, they began to wonder about the future and what they wanted to achieve and leave behind. After farming with continentals for nearly 20 years, they felt they never had any real heart in what they were doing. It was just a constant push to get faster and bigger. They felt farming was going two ways. The decision was to either keep getting bigger or do something different and special…. they decided to go special, whatever that meant at the time!
David and his wife Sandra investigated different pedigree breeds before the realisation that Irish Moileds had once been farmed on their land by family members before them…. that was it, the decision was made!
David and Sandra went on to say they didn’t know very much about the Irish Moiled breed – other than they were rare and nicely coloured! They purchased a beautiful Irish Moiled heifer called Honey. Honey was so different to other cattle they had before. She had such an elegance and gentleness. When they learned that Moilies weren’t just rare but endangered it made them love Honey and the Irish Moiled breed even more. They wanted to do what they could to help keep the breed going and raise awareness. Since then, the Scott family commented, “the Irish Moiled cattle and the Irish Moilie beef have slowly seeped in and overwhelmed their lives and most definitely improved it for the better’’!
In David and Sandra’s own words “Irish Moiled cattle are fascinating, beautiful and enchanting. They are full of personality and are friendly while maintaining their own natural instincts. We find them easy to handle and a delight to work with. Our cows are all excellent mothers with ample milk, easy calving and strong bonds. Calves are hardy and lively. We very rarely need to interfere.
The Irish Moiled cattle are light on ground and natural foragers, making them ideal for conservation grazing. Our cattle are really at home on the type of land that combines grass, scrub and trees. We have noticed Irish Moileds will nibble things that other cattle won’t, like brambles and gorse. They are light-footed and make limited damage to the ground. They take great joy in browsing a variety of foliage and create differing heights of vegetation. We have seen an increase in the number of finer plants on the grounds we graze. Our cattle can be currently found on Magilligan Point, Anti-Aircraft Artillery, The Roe Estuary Nature Reserve and Swann’s Bridge.
The breed is dual purpose, yielding up to 5,000 litres of milk a year while also producing beef. We have found it takes a minimum of 30 months for a steer to reach optimal weight. This slower growth combined with a varied diet makes for a succulent beef. Irish Moilie beef is rich and wild in flavour with generous marble. Chefs and customers alike praise its richness, tenderness, and quality. There’s nothing better than getting a message saying, “Best steak ever!”. At home, we have found it impossible to eat any other beef as not much else compares to it!
We have focused on building a quality herd to provide a steady supply of beef. We want to help redefine Irish Moilie beef as a practical option for both domestic meals and hospitality menus. In turn not only preserving the breed but supporting the growing shift towards premium, traceable and sustainable produce.
We are absolutely delighted to have our Tomahawk Steaks and Burgers listed as finalists for Blas na hÉireann – the biggest competition for quality Irish produce and to have it appear as a centre piece on the Great British Menu television competition.
Looking far ahead we would love for Irish Moilie beef to be widely recognised as a high quality, sustainable meat and a proud hallmark of our food landscape. We want it to be celebrated along with Irish Whiskey and potatoes.
We wholeheartedly encourage anyone considering acquiring a rare breed to take the leap and do so. Our own journey with Irish Moiled cattle has been nothing short of incredible. There’s a profound sense of fulfilment in safeguarding a heritage breed, and it brings us immense joy to interact with these remarkable animals on a daily basis.
For those intrigued by the prospect, we recommend reaching out to organisations like the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and the Irish Moiled Cattle Society. These invaluable groups connect like-minded individuals and provide invaluable guidance and support every step of the way. By joining this community, you’ll discover a wealth of knowledge and camaraderie, making your journey into rare breed conservation more rewarding.
A firm fixture on the Irish Moiled calendar is the Autumn H & H Magnificent Moilie Auction taking place from noon on Thursday 25th September concluding noon on the Saturday 27th September. There will be on offer registered, elite Irish Moileds which also have passed the Society inspection from some of the top herds from GB, NI and ROI. An online catalogue will be released shortly with all the entries but meantime if you are interested in finding out more about the sale, please contact breed secretary Gillian Steele by WhatsApp ++44 7842185008, also it is recommended to register with Harrison & Hetherington, Auctioneers as soon as possible to receive information and to be able to bid online.