Scilly Cow - the Churchtown Farm herd
We have a beef herd of pedigree Red Ruby Devons. The cows are grass fed and graze outdoors all year round, helping both us and the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust to look after St Martin's. On our farm the cows are an important part of the flower bulb rotation, improving soil health and helping us farm more sustainably. On the Wildlife Trust land they extensively conservation grazing using No-fence technology.
The meat from this slow growing breed is beautifully marbled and extremely tasty. You can buy frozen beef at the farm or pre-ordered for collection.
How No-fence grazing works
When our herd is conservation grazing for the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust it might look like they're free to roam but they're contained by a virtual fence line. If the cows approach the virtual fence their collars bleep, giving them an audio warning. If the fence is crossed, the collar delivers an electric shock, just as an electric fence would. If you want to know where the cows are or see the fence line it can be viewed via this link - https://grazingmap.nofence.no/ However, the link will only work when your device's location settings recognise that you're on the Isles of Scilly.
Scan QR code to view No-fence map
ADVICE FOR WALKING INSIDE THE VIRTUAL FENCE
Although our herd are a placid breed, cows are large animals and need to be treated with respect. Obviously, you can use the No-fence map link above to plan a route that avoids walking inside the virtual fence. The system does occasionally glitch. If no fence is shown please don't assume the cows are not gazing in a virtual field, it might just be a fault with the website.
If you are happy to walk where the cows are grazing please:
give them some space. Never walk up to them so quietly that you spook them or get so close that you could be kicked or headbutted.
keep dogs under control by voice or lead. If a cow starts to chase a dog on a lead it's best to drop the lead and let the dog run. The dog will outrun the cow; you will not.
please don't aggressively shout at the cows. If you would like to move them out of your way you can try walking towards them, making loud encouraging noises and clapping but never startle them.
MORE ABOUT THE CHURCHTOWN FARM HERD
If you would like to know more about no-fence grazing and how our beef herd fits into how we farm, our news items below might be of interest.
Why grazing is important
The whole of the Isles of Scilly is a National Landscape - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It's an environmental gem both on land and sea. To protect and enhance this beautiful archipelago it is important that those of us who have responsibility for how the land is managed work together to achieve the best possible outcomes. On our farm we aim to farm so that we can grow commercially but still support nature. We also work with the Wildlife Trust. On their land they're looking to protect and enhance biodiversity and enable nature to thrive.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE
In the past cattle, horses, ponies and donkeys were grazed on Scilly not only on enclosed farmland but also on the unenclosed ‘common’ land. Over time agricultural and horticultural production on the Isles of Scilly changed and there were far fewer animals available to graze this rough land. Without grazing, gorse, bracken and brambles have become dominant. These plants block out the light and outcompete other plants, reducing biodiversity. We're not trying to roll back time to some mythical nature utopia but we are trying to manage land using grazing as a tool to achieve conditions where nature can thrive.
ON OUR FARM
The cows are used in a few different ways. On land where narcissi are grown the fields are taken out of bulbs for 3-4 years to rebuild soil health. As part of this rotation we plant forage turnips. The cows graze the turnips leaving cow poo and hoof divots over the field. The poo is a natural fertiliser and it attracts insects which do well in the disturbed open soil. The herd also grazes our land, which is too low quality for flower production. This stops it from being overgrown by gorse and bracken, leaving more space for other plants to thrive. Again the cow poo and soil disturbance are great for insects and, in turn, birds.
ON WILDLIFE TRUST LAND
The cows do conservation grazing, helping to manage some of the most beautiful and environmentally important marine heathland in the UK. The Wildlife Trust use both mechanical and grazing management. The aim is not to eliminate gorse, bracken and brambles but to develop a rich mosaic of habitats that supports a wide diversity of wildlife. The cattle are also great at keeping some invasive plants, such as New Zealand flax, under control on steeper slopes where mechanical management isn't always practical.
