Conservation grazing is the method of using low-intensity grazing by livestock such as cattle or ponies to help enhance natural diversity. With their feeding habits and bulk, animals keep aggressive plant species at bay and break up the ground. Their behaviour helps create the perfect conditions for a whole host of plants and insects which in turn support birds and mammals. It is a return to more traditional grazing practices but for the modern purposes of conservation.
The team at Llyn Brenig is trialling conservation grazing with highland cattle on the estate.
This project is funded by the Nature Networks Programme. It is being delivered by the Heritage Fund, on behalf of the Welsh Government.
Perhaps surprisingly, cattle grazing has historically had a more significant impact on the area’s natural environment compared to sheep. Evidence suggests that Neolithic farmers grazed cattle in the region as far back as 10,000 BC, whereas sheep grazing only became dominant around 1300 AD.
It is important to understand that sheep and cattle graze in different ways and that means that they have different effects on biodiversity.
Sheep are selective eaters, focusing on specific areas with palatable vegetation, resulting in over-grazed areas and patches of dense unmanaged vegetation.
In contrast, cattle graze more broadly, helping to break up dense ruderal vegetation and allow more light to the soil surface. A greater range of plants are able to germinate as a result attracting a more diverse wildlife.
Trial plots have been established, including both typical pasture areas and woodland areas. Highland cattle have been chosen as they are relatively docile and adept at consuming coarse material. Baseline surveys have been conducted to monitor biodiversity impacts.
You may notice that the cattle appear to be not fenced-in. That’s okay. The trial compartment has been mapped on a phone app to create a ‘geofence’. The cows wear GPS collars which play a melody to alert them when they approach the virtual fence-line drawn on the app. If they cross it, the collar administers a small electric pulse, like an electric fence. After a short while, the cows learn to turn away when the melody plays on. For this trial, there is an outer boundary electric fence to give a second line of defence against escape.
Throughout the trial, volunteer lookerers regularly check in on the herd to ensure they are healthy, behaving normally and in the designated grazing area.
Volunteers are encouraged to participate in the project by contacting the team at llynbrenig@dwrcymru.com for information on available opportunities.
If you come across the cattle on your visit, we ask that you do not approach them and that you keep your dog on a lead. In exceptional circumstances, in the unlikely event that you feel threatened by the cattle, it may be appropriate to let the dog off the lead until it is safe to put it back on.
Find out more about our stunning summer visitors and how you can observe them sustainably in their natural habitat.
• READ MORE •New in 2024, the artificial nesting site offers opportunities to observe the breeding season dramas of the gregarious sand martin.
• READ MORE •Discover how Llyn Brenig is encouraging red squirrels in the area with boxes, bridges, DNA sampling – and pine martens!
• READ MORE •Renowned for its challenging Welsh forest stages, the Cambrian Rally continues to attract top-level competitors from across the country and beyond.
We’ve got some frightful fun for kids! Join us for a spooky Halloween Trail at Llyn Brenig.
Find a tag and hook yourself free boat hire for the day. It’s absolutely FREE to enter!
