WILLIE PURDON – STRAVENHOUSE FARM

Home to the Purdons, father Andrew and son Willie, Stravenhouse is a family run farm based in the heart of the Clyde valley dealing solely in the breeding and fattening of cattle all year round. Willie’s wife Karen and their 3 daughters also live on the farm, which is 400 feet above sea level and mainly grassland, stretching 340 acres across a valley.

Home to the Purdon’s since 1990, the farm also accommodates 400-450 cattle at any one time and 70 suckler cows which calf every year. Willie also prides himself on his one Charolais bull, a cracking beast weighing in at 1200 kilos. The main breeds of cattle Willie works with are Charolais, Limousin, Simmental and Aberdeen Angus.

Andrew and Willie believe these breeds of cattle produce good, tasty quality Scottish beef. Andrew and Willie purchase a large number of top end Scottish cattle, all from eye and touch, from the West of Scotland fattening them into top quality prime Scottish beef by 20-22 months old. Willie’s motto is ‘Buy them good to make them better!’ The livestock’s diet is mainly grass in the summer months and home grown silage with potatoes, draft and a cereal based blend. during winter. In particular, using a draft that is a by-product of Glenkinchie Malt Whisky adds a distinctive flavour to the beef.