The Prince of Wales visited Llandeilo last week to announce that he has made a donation to safeguard a rare breed of cattle.

Following his visit to Dinefwr Park on February 24, His Royal Highness made a donation to the Save the Herd campaign after learning about the National Trust’s efforts to save the historic White Park Cattle breed from extinction.

The White Park Cattle have grazed the area for more than a thousand years, and were first recorded in the laws of Hywel Dda, Hywel the Good, when he codified the laws of the land in the year 920.

Today, just 750 White Park breeding females exist on the planet, making them rarer than the Giant Panda.

The National Trust urgently needs to increase the number of cows they have at Dinefwr, not simply to save these magnificent animals from extinction, but to safeguard important links to Welsh history and to help sustain rare wildflower hay meadows at the site.

The campaign was launched last autumn with the aim of raising £36,000 to help with the purchase of a new bull and later more White Park cows. The donation from the Prince of Wales will aid the future-proofing of the historic herd and the landscape and habitats they help to conserve.

Justin Albert, National Trust Director for Wales, said: “The White Park Cattle are of special significance to Welsh history with their historic roots at Dinefwr.

“This is why we are doing everything we can to ensure that the breed survives for future generations.

“Both personally and on behalf of the National Trust we are honoured that His Royal Highness has taken such a personal interest in our ancient herd of White Park Cattle."

The conservation of hay meadows is a subject that is close to the Prince’s heart. He set up the Coronation Meadows project in 2012 with the aim of having a pocket of flowering hay meadow in each county in Britain.

The National Trust is looking forward to further collaboration with His Royal Highness and others to ensure special breeds like the White Park Cattle, and the special places in Wales they populate, are sustained and safeguarded for future generations.