WWT & Us
Working with the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), our aim is to create some of the most delicious beef in the UK while doing as much as we can for wetland habitats. We don’t always get things right but with the aid of no-fence collars we keep our cattle safe and the environment well managed.
To learn more about the WWT and all the fantastic work they do, please head to their website.
NoFence Collars
No-fence collars are exactly what it says, it’s a collar that does away with the need of fences. Essentially they geo-fence the cattle into a specific area. They look like a modern cow bell around the cows neck. Through the use of a GPS tracker we can monitor the cattle and restrict their movements. Through an app we are able to create a virtual barrier. Cattle hear a tune to let them know that they are close to the edge of their allotted area, when they hit the boundary or cross it they get a little shock so they turn around. The collars are essential as the Bristol Chanel has the second highest tidal range in the world this means the water floods the marsh so quickly it can be very dangerous place. There are crevasses that you van loose a lorry in let alone a cow and would be impossible to fence physically to keep animals safe. You can read more about the NoFence collars on highland cattle on Farmers Weekly HERE.
Modern Solutions
Our Cattle’s movements around the marsh can be collected to tell us how the they’re moving. This not only tells us where they are but it gives us a good indication of health. If movement slows or stops we know there is a problem.
High Tides
During particularly high tides the salt marshes will be completely flooded twice a day so with the aid of the NoFence collars the cattle are brought back to higher ground for a few days until they can be let back out slowly.
Want to know more?
Find out more about the Sustainability aspect of what we do out on the Steart Marshes and how it helps trap more carbon into the earth.
