IN MEMORIAM
Animals we have loved and lost
Twiggy
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Twiggy, (Pfolly Fashion 138) was our foundation sow. Very sadly she had to be euthanised in February 2022 due to an eye infection suspected to be associated with a brain tumour. She was a real character and raised almost fifty piglets for us.
Pip
Pip the dog, our rising 16 rescued curly-coated collie heartrendingly had to be euthanised in April 2023. She spent many years as a Pets As Therapy dog visiting care and dementia homes. She also competed at agility and was in a display team travelling the country to demonstrate obedience, flyball, agility, tricks and fire-jumping, and even made a couple of television appearances. She really enjoyed supervising our activities on the farm, and simply adored visiting the local beach at Pembrey.
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After over 15 years of being central to our family, she has left an enormous hole. She is buried in her favourite field.
Branwen
Branwen, (Trausmawr Warbler 2) was only with us for five weeks, but her gentle, loving nature endeared her to us very quickly. We bought her in pig with her first litter to try to help the rare Warbler line. There were complications during her farrowing and, despite four vets working on her for hours including doing a Caesarian section, a very rare operation on a pig, she sadly died the next day. We hand-raised her three surviving piglets and have kept her daughter, Olwen, to eventually breed from and continue her dam's legacy of helping to save the Warbler line.
Bran
Bran (Westerly Majestic Eagle 32A), our beloved and gentle boar, died in his sleep, cuddled up to his favourite ladies in January 2025. He was with us for four years and, at eight, was a good age for a working boar, but will be very much missed by us as well as his ladies.
A very gentle giant at 400kg, he was very considerate with his ladies, but also friendly with people and always gave us a “huff” in greeting. With his massive ears obscuring much of his vision he pottered contentedly through life and, as befits a creature of his size and dignity, almost never broke into a run. As well as his food, he enjoyed his work. In his time with us he sired more than a hundred pigs at Berllan, and scores more on hire to other pedigree Large Black herds. He leaves a large legacy of Large Black pigs, and a very big hole here at Berllan. His are big shoes to fill in every sense.
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