This is the first time animals other than steers have been brought into the herd.
‘I wanted to introduce different animals to the Conservation Herd for a while as it’s an established conservation principle that mixed grazing can have better effects for wildlife and biodiversity, due to their different diets and different ways of eating vegetation, and goats in particular are especially good at tackling thicker, denser habitats,’ said herd manager Will Harford-Fox.
The new goats are six months old and will be based at the National Trust property Les Caches Farm until they are moved to be with the rest of the herd.
‘I’m hoping for about three or four weeks they’ll be here, but it depends on how well they eat the vegetation and any teething problems we have with just ensuring they’re safe and well looked after. I think in about a month we will look to mix them with our big steers,’ said Mr Harford-Fox.
‘We will probably do it cautiously at first, we will put them next to the cows rather than in with them, and then we might put in some of the smaller members of the steers just to make sure it goes smoothly.’
Over time Mr Harford-Fox said he would look into increasing the number of goats in the herd.
Lt-Governor Sir Richard Cripwell, who has supported the conservation of the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat, was present for the arrival of the goats and led the first one into the field.
‘Firstly the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat is an indigenous goat, it’s a rare breed and we should be trying to do everything that we can to make sure that the goat that is named after the place we call our home is preserved and promoted for the future,’ he said.
‘This really gives us the opportunity to take sustainability and the way in which we manage our environments to the next step.
‘These goats are experts at clearing scrubland and maintaining land and as this herd continues we’re going to be able to use these goats, and the ones who come after them, to help control our natural environment so they’ll be giving back as well.’
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