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A view from the hides.

 
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Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 16 5:36 pm    Post subject: A view from the hides. Reply with quote
    

Yesterday, Karen and I went to the Slimbridge Wetland Centre. We visited all the fantastic hides that they have there and put our binoculars to good use. There were hundreds and thousands of these of all shapes and sizes to see.














But just as interestingly, they had over sixty English Longhorn cattle doing some conservation  grazing. We use to keep this breed but not quite in the same numbers. They looked magnificent. The weather was a little misty, so apologies for the picture quality.

























wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 16 6:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I love to see longhorns. They have a herd at Calke Abbey, and the kids were super-impressed.

NorthernMonkeyGirl



Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4584
Location: Peeping over your shoulder
PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 16 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Love longhorns

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Sun Oct 30, 16 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

ace snaps , i have never visited the place but intend to if i am ever down that way.

longhorns do look rather nice and the ones on the ings seem quite chilled but do they do the hook a knee thing that highlands find immensely funny in a tight space?

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 16 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Round here they tend to use Highlands for conservation grazing; don't know why. Any idea what the ducks/geese are in the top picture? If we see any birds in those numbers round here they are Brent geese. They are supposed to be rare, but the numbers we get here can destroy a pasture and what they don't eat they mess on, and how they mess!

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 16 11:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

highlands are tough and can cope with nasty weather etc etc, they will eat stuff that other moos reject , fresh nettles, docks, small trees etc etc, they require little health intervention, they are fairly sensible and seem to avoid silly dangers although they will show considerable enthusiasm for getting to anything that looks edible, they are a bit frisky but most of them are not nasty, they taste good and can turn very poor grazing into top quality meat.
in many ways they are perfect conservation cattle.

wellington womble



Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands
PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 16 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

They used highlands in Bucks, too. You'd think they'd need the furrier varieties up north, wouldn't you?

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 16 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

in the western highlands they seem to do pretty well as a commercial breed living on the hills in semi wild herds. full grown ones are huge and a bit surprising if they decide to see if the stranger wants to say hello.

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