Robert Bakewell Mounted on a Bay Cob by John Boultbee
Robert Bakewell Mounted on a Bay Cob by John Boultbee
This portrait is of a Leicestershire farmer who improved and changed nearly every aspect of eighteenth century farming.
Robert Bakewell (1725-1795 ) was born and lived at Dishley Grange Farm near Loughborough where his father and grandfather had farmed before him. He carried out selective breeding of his livestock and is one of the main pioneers of scientific stockbreeding. He also carried out experiments on the watering and manuring of pasture land. His findings increased the amount of meat that could be produced by feeding stock on each acre.
There was great demand to feed the rising numbers of local industrial workers in nearby Loughborough and Leicester and increasing farm yields was an important part of serving the new industrial centres.
