Calves are set to join La Societe Conservation Herd
Two calves that will form part of La Societe’s Conservation Herd have been relocated to a new field in St Peter’s as preparations continue for their eventual integration with the rest of the herd.
The calves, which were born in February, will be based in one of La Societe’s Bridget Ozanne Orchid Fields along Les Vicheries Lane until at least September.
Herd manager Dave Bartram said the calves would be allowed time to graze in their new surroundings, before moving to another field at the site and being joined by two cows which became part of the herd last year.
Those four will then join up with the other four members of the herd at a different location in September or October to briefly create a group of eight, before two are slaughtered in order to raise money for the continuation of the herd.
‘We don’t want the new ones to become scared. Doing it this way allows for them to settle into their new surroundings and gradually get used to each other and then some of the other cows,’ Mr Bartram said.
‘It’s also beneficial for the environment to allow the calves time to graze in the fields.’
He was looking forward to seeing how the new calves’ relationship with the rest of the herd would develop once they were together.
‘Usually the older ones put themselves at the top of the pecking order and take charge, but as long as they all integrate successfully that’s the most important thing,’ he said.
The herd was first set up in 2014, with the aim of managing land in a more natural way.
The cattle’s trampling creates small bare patches of earth, disturbing seeds and helping wild flowers germinate.
This allows plants to get re-established or spread.
These bare patches can also be important for ants and nesting solitary bees and wasps, as well as skylarks.
