A prized herd nurtured in the heart of Norfolk
Exploring the story of Norfolk Wagyu: an extraordinary journey that began with a passion for farming and has evolved into an enchanting herd and a renowned local delicacy
As a child, Sarah Juggins spent every spare second helping out on her dad’s farm in Middleton. It was a diverse farm, growing cereals, sugar beet, oilseed rape and a number of other crops, but the passion for both Sarah and her father Roger was their herd of mixed breed and Limousin cattle.
“I would help feed the cows in the mornings before school and again when I got home in the evening,” says Sarah. “The greatest joy was hand rearing the little calves by feeding them from buckets of warm milk, which were my responsibility
to prepare.”
That responsibility has come full circle as Sarah now manages around 35 cows of her own, grazing rented pastures across West Norfolk. The difference between this herd and the mixed herd of beef cattle belonging to her father is the breed.
“Dad started a pedigree Limousin herd,” says Sarah. “They were big, muscular animals, ready for market within 18 months. They were also a bit wild; we often got phone calls to say a couple had jumped out and were exploring the local area.”
Fast forward 30 years and Sarah’s herd are peaceful and almost Zen-like as they move elegantly around the field, stopping to gaze at human observers with large brown eyes. These are Wagyu cattle, a Japanese breed renowned for its marbling and high-quality meat. The emphasis is on genetics, with all true Wagyu able to trace their heritage back to a select group of foundational Japanese bulls from the 19th and 20th centuries.
While the Wagyu market has grown exponentially in recent years, particularly in Australia and the USA, there are still only a handful of breeders in the UK. Norfolk Wagyu began in 2016 when Sarah returned to her home county after a teaching career in London and Cambridge. Along with her partner Dawn, she purchased their first pregnant Wagyu cow. That cow, Winnie, is now the ‘old girl’ of the herd, with many of her offspring forming part of the breeding group.
“I fancied doing something different with cattle and knew I wanted to work with slow-growing animals because I think that’s how the best meat is produced, whatever the breed,” Sarah explains. “The animals entering the food chain live to be at least three years if not older. They roam outdoors with access to grass all year round. This means they get plenty of exercise, so their muscles are better developed. It also means they are less prone to disease because they are not confined in crowded sheds with lots of other animals.”
Sarah juggles her freelance writing job with her role as a facilitator for the forward-thinking North Norfolk Coastal Group organisation and collaborates with a number of people to make her Wagyu business a success. She rents grazing land from three local landowners and a neighbouring farmer supplies her with vining peas, which make nutritious winter fodder. She utilises grass grown in environmental schemes to make hay and collects a regular supply of excess grain donated by Duration Brewery at West Acre.
It serves as a fitting tribute to my family heritage and a daily reminder of just why I decided to return to Norfolk and rear cattle
“I had three decades away from cattle, so it was a case of working out what I remembered and what I needed to learn,” says Sarah. “The toughest moment was when a new mother lost her calf because she just abandoned it; I didn’t realise she had calved until it was too late. Now I watch them like a hawk, some may say obsessively, when they are near calving.”
Since starting the business, Sarah and Dawn have also had to learn to cope with the process of sending the animals destined to be beef to the abattoir. Although this is hard, they find comfort in knowing that every cow has been given the best life possible. Everything is done to keep the cattle calm and happy so there’s no unnecessary handling or medication. The cows all have names too as Sarah and Dawn believe they should be treated with love and respect for every day they are with them.
“Someone once remarked to me that raising a cow takes a village; I think this is a really nice way of looking at it because there’s a real community around our herd,” says Sarah. “The obvious connections include direct customers such as Lewis and Aga at The Old Bank in Snettisham along with Julian Howard, the butcher who works with me to sell the meat through a beef box scheme. There is Charlie Davison who supplies the vining peas, Robert Wilson who leases grazing land to me and the dedicated team at Duration, who not only give me brewers grains but also hold Wagyu evenings to showcase the quality marbled beef.”
The skilled Matthew and Caroline of Owsley-Brown Catering also hosted a Wagyu dining experience at their seasonal pop-up tipi restaurant during summer, which was a great success. Finally, there are the friends and neighbours who will turn out to help with all manner of things such as TB testing and moving the cattle from one area to another.
“The business is called Norfolk Wagyu, but the herd pre-fix is MillFarm, named after my father’s farm,” Sarah smiles. “It serves as a fitting tribute to my family heritage and a daily reminder of just why I decided to return to Norfolk and rear cattle.”
Norfolk Wagyu is on Instagram and those interested in the direct box scheme or learning more about the herd can contact Sarah at sjuggs15@gmail.com
