Stock Rearing Use

Selective spot weeding of weeds has improved the grassland. Back in the early 1940’s and 1950’s the Government’s made payments to farmers to remove the hedges to increase the areas of the fields. Hedges were removed and new boundaries were erected with wire fences. The larger fields are now being reduced in size to stop “Ranching”, with the reduction in the size of the fields, we hope to have a better quality grass that is available all year round. 

The livestock kept on the farm are our pedigree Dorper "Wyndham" sheep flock and our "Hartnall" Red Devon or Ruby Red cattle herd and this is due to the rather steep nature of the land. 

Raising beef on this ground can cause a great deal of problems through “Poaching”, and we have to manage the cattle very sensitively.  None of our animals are fed on imported concentrate but on grass that means that they take longer to mature.  Most of the grassland has clay under the topsoil and linked with the high number of natural springs in the area, makes the ground extremely soft in places.

We use our own rolled Wheat, Oats and Barley as part of their feed rations but usually only when they are brought in for the winter.