The ownership of St Fort Estate has been handed down through the family since 1791 when Robert Stewart purchased the property and built St Fort House. In 1957 the house was demolished having fallen into disrepair. However, the policy park, many of the cottages, farm buildings, walls and woodlands remain very much as they were when laid out in the late 18th and early 19th Century. Andrew Mylius took over the farm from his mother in 1960 and now runs it in partnership with his wife Hilary and son Caspar.
The 1200 acres at St Fort are split roughly between forestry, arable land and grass. Cereals are grown for malting and for home grown animal feed and the pastures are grazed by herds of Aberdeen Angus and Lincoln Red Cattle.
Conservation has always had a high priority. In 1988 St Fort was awarded the prestigious Hunter Blair Trophy presented by the Royal Scottish Forestry Society. A project to preserve the dwindling population of Red squirrels was started in 1997 and this has resulted in a significant increase in this endangered species. Carriage Driving Trials have taken place on St Fort since 1982. For a number of years a major event was held and at this time the Estate was honoured to have HRH the Duke of Edinburgh amongst the competitors.
Highland ponies, Fell ponies and Arabian horses also feature in life at St Fort.
The Lincoln Red breed was registered in part of the Shorthorn herd book until 1896 and at that time were bred for both beef and the dairy. Now purely a beef breed they remain true to type with their sizeable frame and deep cherry red coats. They are extremely hardy, ‘good doers’ and happy to winter out in the worst of the Scottish weather. The cows are easy calving and with their dual-purpose ancestry they produce plenty of milk for their quick growing calves. They are ‘people friendly’ and easy to handle with a temperament that is second to none. They cross well with all breeds.
The St Fort herd was started by Andrew Mylius in the 1963. A ‘golden age’ was enjoyed during the 1970′s with 171 females in the herd and many Championships won at major shows. Cattle were exported to Argentina and Canada. The St Fort herd remains prominent in the Lincoln Red Society. At the 2()11 Autumn Show and Sale the male Champion, reserve male Champion and also the female Champion were sired by three different St Fort bulls.
The present herd is made up of 60 breeding females among these a small number of cows have rare breed status. The current stock bulls include Wragby Minstrel, junior Champion at the Great Yorkshire Show in 2010 and the rare breed or traditional bull Norton Beau who in 2010 was Champion at the Perth Show. The aim is to maintain a small number of the traditional cows while the pedigree herd will continue to develop and produce cattle which satisfy the finished market and also produce the top quality breeding stock required by both the pedigree and commercial breeder.
Following John Crutchleys visit to St Fort in early March 2012 the bull St Fort Puzzle was sold to the 100% traditional Lincoln Red herd at Dalby Hall. Puzzle is sired by the 1960′s bull Moncur Punch V6 and his dam is Brooks Thora 119th who was purchased by ourselves as a nine year old in 2004. Since then she has produced a number of impressive offspring both naturally and by embryo transplant.
At the 2012 Lincoln Red Society spring show and sale St Fort made the significant purchase of the bull Beverley Noble. Though not intending to buy a bull we felt we could not lose the opportunity of securing this very special bull for the St Fort herd. He is in a league of his own and in spite of his record breaking price we are sure he is a purchase that we will never regret.
The Aberdeen Angus breed needs no introduction. The breed has become synonymous with top quality cattle and the meat they produce. It therefore seemed natural that, when we decided to run another herd alongside the Lincoln Reds we chose Scotland’s premier breed, the Aberdeen Angus.
The first four Aberdeen Angus heifers were purchased in October 1994 at the dispersal sale of our neighbour Reginald Thompson of Strathburn. Thereafter purchases of heifers were made from all leading herds including Netherton, Castle of Meyand and Hurdcott. Stock bulls have included Netherton Chic, Carlhurlie Generso and Fordafourie Chris who was purchased as a calf. Our current principal stock bull is Netherton Keystone,who was junior interbreed champion at the Perth show and we believe he is the best bull used on St Fort to date.
Since establishing the herd in 1994 it has been our policy to buy the very best bulls and heifers that have been available at affordable prices and we have been rewarded with a very impressive herd of quality suckler cows. Not only is their-uniform size and conformation of the highest standard but the cows retain all the characteristics expected of native cattle. They are easy calving, good mothers, hardy and feed efficient.
Breeding bulls and heifers are sold privately or through pedigree sales while the remaining bull calves are finished alongside the Lincoln Reds at between 11 and 14 months.
In August 2011 St Fort Red Mr Postman was purchased by Messrs G & N Taylor for their newly formed herd of Red Aberdeen Angus at Mosshall Farm, West Lothian. The sire of Mr Postman is St Fort Pip Pip who is pictured second on the rolling gallery and again in the photo beneath receiving second prize in his class at the Royal Highland Show in 2007.
St Fort has 11 Aberdeen Angus heifers for sale at Forfar market on 14 April 2012. They are 19 months old, have nice natures and have wintered out. They are ready for bulling this spring. 2 by Netherton Keystone (Interbreed Champion at the Perth show). 5 by St Fort Pip Pip (2nd place at RHAS 2007). 4 by Hurdcott Elgar (Senior Champion at the Perth bull sales).
