One of the great joys of working on nature reserves is being able to witness the seasonal change up close. This summer has been no different, with the return of a number of our most iconic species. A new highlight, which has been added to my list for this summer, is the presence of our first ever British White calves.
NWT British White cattle, photo by Andy Dunn
Since 2014 Norfolk Wildlife Trust has been gradually developing its own herd of British White cattle, following an initial purchase of 12 heifers from the Tollesbury, Woodbastwick and Hevingham herds.
After NWT purchased ‘Skiathos’, the pedigree British White bull, in July 2017, he was put straight to work, and all that ‘difficult work’ has certainly paid off with our first ever group of calves born in May. The calves are quite small when they are first born, only the size of a large dog, but they quickly grow and will be about three quarters the size of their mothers after their first year. Like their mothers, the calves clearly have distinctive personalities, some quite timid, some bold and some just plainly apathetic to me! The calves are checked and marked once they are born, however, they are quickly up on their feet and mobile, often giving me the run around if I don’t get to them quickly enough.
British White cattle have a long history in Norfolk dating back to the early 1800s and they seemed an obvious choice when it came to selecting a breed to graze on Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves. Their docile nature makes them easy to handle and their hardiness makes them well able to thrive on areas where the more intensely reared breeds of modern agriculture would struggle, meaning they are ideal suited to tackle the varied and sometimes difficult vegetation on our nature reserves.
NWT Upton Broad and Marshes where the cattle graze
Livestock grazing is one of the most important tools we have for managing our nature reserves. By grazing their way across our nature reserves, they maintain open habitats, allowing a whole range of plants, insects, birds, reptiles and mammals to flourish.
In the broads in the east of the country, the white cattle are grazing on
NWT Upton Broad & Marshes Nature Reserve, re-establishing grazing on an area of fen which has not been farmed within living memory. This low intensity grazing has created a natural diversity within the fen. A mix of tall herb vegetation, short grassland and open areas provide a variety of habitats and support a rich range of wildlife including Norfolk’s iconic swallowtail butterfly.
It is a pleasure to see these traditional native breed animals making their mark and managing these semi-natural habitats in a way that closely resembles the historic farming systems that would have once existed here. Hopefully, with the initial success of our breeding program, the cattle grazing will now continue for years to come and, securing the future of our most recent addition to our nature reserves, the iconic British White cow!
John Milton, Head of Nature Reserves
In the north west of the country, the cattle are grazing on
NWT Roydon Common. They help to maintain the vast expanse of heathland and mire which stretches more than 1,000 acres. Being white and easy to spot from a distance is another underappreciated characteristic! In the south west of the county, in the Brecks, the cattle herd are grazing the grass heaths, including
NWT East Wretham Heath, which is also where our breeding herd is based and the calves can be seen skipping around alongside their mothers.
“It is a pleasure to see these traditional native breed animals making their mark and managing these semi-natural habitats in a way that closely resembles the historic farming systems that would have once existed here,” commented John Milton, NWT’s Head of Nature Reserves.
“Hopefully, with the initial success of our breeding program, the cattle grazing will now continue for years to come and, securing the future of our most recent addition to our nature reserves, the iconic British White cow!”
It's Good to Graze
With more than 6,000 acres of nature reserve across Norfolk our grazing sheep, cattle and ponies are essential to conservation. We need to continue our conservation grazing and now want to do so much more across Norfolk's most fragile sites. To do so we need your help.
Donating today will help us make a real difference for Norfolk's wildlife in the future.