What are the benefits of grazing on our nature reserves?

Grazing plays an important role in habitat management. Cattle will often choose to eat the more dominant and vigorous plants. This means that they remove or reduce some of the less desirable plant species on our nature reserves and allow less competitive plants to thrive. This impacts on the range of plant species you’ll see on our reserves, on the invertebrates they attract and the birds, mammals and amphibians who, in turn, feed upon them.

Cattle pull up plants with their strong tongues, make holes with their hooves and flatten areas, creating microhabitats, which are incredibly important for a whole host of insects. This action also creates patches of bare ground where plants can set seed – again something which allows less abundant species to thrive.

In lying or rolling on the ground, cattle increase structural diversity which can be important for ground-nesting birds such as lapwings and snipe - the different levels an important factor in enabling them to successfully rear their young.

Of course, where there are cattle, there are also cow pats – an essential habitat for a number of species of coprophilous fungi and insects, including dung beetles, dung flies and worms. Indeed, according to Legacy Grazing, there are over 250 species of insect that can be found in cattle dung in the UK – a welcome supply of food for the likes of badgers, foxes, bats and birds.

Why will you see cattle grazing on our reserves at this time of year in particular?

Timing is crucial to the success of grazing and we put cattle (and other livestock, such as sheep) onto our grasslands and/or wetlands at this time of year because it is the best time to graze in order to promote the diversity of wildflowers and grass species. Most wildflowers and grasses will have flowered and set seed by now so there’s less risk of the cattle grazing on these sensitive species and, as mentioned previously, their presence helps them to flourish. It’s also outside of the main bird breeding season, so prevents disturbance of nesting birds.

What other considerations need to be made with grazing animals?

Our reserves team are very considerate of the number of grazing animals in relation to the site and sensitive to the risks of over-grazing or ill-timed grazing. Animal welfare is also of primary importance and we have a fantastic band of Livestock Checker volunteers who support us in facilitating visual checks of the number of animals present, making sure there is plenty of drinking water available and reporting back any obvious health issues to our reserves team. At HMWT we tend to use traditional/native breeds, such as Red Polls and Dexters. These are ideally suited to our sites as they are smaller, hardier and are well-matched to grazing our native vegetation. These breeds are also naturally more docile and therefore more suitable on reserves with many visitors.

How long will the cattle be on site for?

Longevity of livestock staying on-site is very much dependent on how the grazing is going and the ground conditions – but generally they will stay until the autumn. Our reserves team and graziers closely monitor the effect the cattle are having on our sites throughout the season.

Where can I see conservation grazing in action?

We have or will soon have cattle grazing at our Frogmore Meadows, Long Deans, Thorley Wash, Blagrove Common, Fir and Pond Woods, Danemead, and King’s Meads nature reserves.

What precautions should I take in walking in fields with livestock?

Please give livestock space – if you can, keep to a distance of at least 10m away from any grazing animals to protect yourself and them. Move calmly around the herd and try not to come between them – this is especially important when considering mothers and their young as they could become defensive if separated. Do not run, make sudden movements or loud noises which could startle the animals and make them unpredictable - for this reason, young children should be kept close at hand. Also, remember to shut gates securely.

Can I still walk my dog on nature reserves where there are grazing animals?

Responsible dog owners and their dogs are welcome on most of our nature reserves, though there are some areas where dogs must remain on leads or cannot be permitted due to the delicate nature of some of the areas we are working to conserve. Please take extra care when walking your dog near grazing livestock, keep them on a short lead and heed the warning signs on the reserves – they are there to protect you, your dog and the animals in our care. Please clear up after your dog as dog poo can cause illnesses in livestock, as well as to people and wildlife.

You may wish to take a look at this short film which was made by our friends at Gloucester Wildlife Trust – the principles apply equally in Hertfordshire and Middlesex and we are keen for everyone to get the most out of their visits to our reserves, with safety being our number one priority.

We hope this article goes to show you just how important grazing animals can be in helping us to manage habitats to enable wildlife to thrive. If you would be interested in volunteering for one of our Livestock Checker volunteer roles, please see details of our current vacancies on our Volunteer Opportunities web page.

Image header credit: Guy Edwardes