Our Animals
Dillon is the noisiest resident on the farm. He was born on 16th September 2019 and was hand reared by our Livestock Team from just two weeks old.
When visiting Dillon in The Farmyard you’ll see his lovely friend Violet too. Both Dillon and Violet love a nose scratch as you’re passing their pen.
During warmer months you’ll find our donkeys in the paddock next to the Outdoor Show Stage – they love to sing along when Peter Rabbit and Friends are on stage!
Did you know?
Donkeys are related to horses and zebras; donkeys bray and horses neigh!
Minty is one of a number of dairy cows that live here at Willows.
She was born on 25th October 2019 and her full Jersey name is Bluerock Polos Roxy Mintcream – we call her Minty for short.
During your visit you might be lucky enough to see one of our cow milking demonstrations on the Animal Show Stage from Easter Holidays – October Half Term.
Our cows can be seen in The Farmyard, Animal Paddocks and when you’re on Tristan the Tractor ride so keep your eyes peeled.
Did you know?
Cows can drink a whole bathtub of water in one day! They have a strong sense of smell and can see all colours, except for the colour red.
Our mummy pigs on the farm are Trudy, Penny, Tuppence, Greta, Polly, Apricot and Perrie.
All our pregnant sows give birth in The Farmyard so you’ll usually see lots of little piglets running around. The average number of piglets our pigs have is seven or eight. However, sometimes they can have as many as 17 piglets!
When not in The Farmyard, you’ll find our pigs out on the farm near Tristan the Runaway Tractor and in the paddock next to Peter Rabbit’s Agility Trail – how many will you spot on your visit?
Did you know?
Even though pigs live in the mud, they are actually very clean animals. Pigs are thought to be smarter than most dogs.
Soffie, our pet sheep is lovingly named after her human Mum Sophie, who works on the Livestock Team. Sophie hand-reared Soffie during lockdown and the pair became best friends.
In early 2023 Soffie had her first set of lambs and has made a brilliant mum. She also made a cameo appearance in BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing!
Look out for Soffie in the animal feeding paddocks. During our February Frolics event Soffie you’ll be able to see her take a starring role in our Bo Peep Show too!
All of our sheep are well looked after by our Shepherd Tuck and our Livestock Team.
Did you know?
Sheep are very gentle animals. They are happiest when they live together in a group called a flock.
At Willows we have lots of pygmy goats and cross breed goats.
Roger is a Boer goat and lives outside in our Animal Paddock. He is one of our daddy goats and you can see his kids in The Farmyard throughout the year.
Why not purchase a bag of animal feed at Admissions so you can feed the goats as they are always ready for a treat?
You can also join the Livestock Team at 4.30pm everyday to help feed all the animals, including our goats, with fresh fruit and vegetables in the Farmyard,
Did you know?
Goats are known as mountain animals and can live on mountains and hilltops – they can even climb trees!
Dumbo is a giant breed rabbit who arrived at the farm during our Easter Event in 2023.
He has become firm farm favourite due to his cheeky personality. During a number of events Dumbo will take place in our Bunny Grooming demonstrations in the The Farmyard.
We house some of our rabbits permanently in The Farmyard and others can be found in the out rabbit enclosures close to the Peter Rabbit’s Agility Trail. You’ll also find lots of bunnies in our Easter Garden during our Easter Eggstravaganza event.
Did you know?
A male rabbit is a ‘buck’ and a female rabbit is a ‘doe’. Their offspring are ‘kittens’.
Meet Yahtzee who was born at Willows in August 2017.
We have lots of alpacas throughout the farm, but Yahtzee is the cheekiest of all. He has a great personality, just don’t get too close as Alpacas can spit!
You’ll spot a number of our Alpacas on your drive in to Willows – make sure you give them a wave! You’ll also see Alpacas in The Farmyard and in our animal paddocks.
Did you know?
Alpacas belong to the family of camelids which also includes camels and llamas. There are only two different breeds of alpacas.
Wheatley is our Hereford Bull. He is soon to be the proud Daddy to all the calves born on the farm.
Hereford Bulls on average weigh around 1,200 kg – the same weight as a small car! Wheatly isn’t quite heavy as that as he’s still young but he’s getting bigger every day!
Did you know?
A bull is the male species of cattle and, despite their huge size, they are herbivores that only eat vegetation such as grass.
Mischka Rose is an Alaskan Malamute who has been at Willows since she was a tiny 8 week old puppy. She’s a firm favourite on the farm who, when she’s not at work, lives with our Livestock Manager Maria.
Mischka can do lots of tricks; her favourite trick is to give kisses (especially if she’s awarded a carrot at the end). During the winter months Mischka also has her very own show – she is a real superstar!
Did you know?
Alaskan Malamutes have double coats and shed twice every year – brushing Mischka’s coat keeps Maria very busy!
Our working farm dogs are are called Zoe, Glitch, Nelson, Doug, Biggles and Jess.
Nelson is a Huntaway and the others are Border Collies.
Their job on the farm is to keep our cattle and sheep in check. You will often see them riding in the back of Tuck’s trailer.
Tuck has an individual whistle and voice command for each dog – they are taught from a very early age to recognise their own command.
Did you know?
Just like we favour using our right or left hand, most dogs have a dominant hand too – or in their case, paw!