Aberdeen Angus Are Coming to Mill Meadows

Next week, cattle should be back at Mill Meadows. This year the cattle will be Aberdeen Angus, a British breed, which are said to have a mild temperament.  As the name suggests the breed was established in Scotland from native stock. These black, and sometimes red, cattle thrive in varied grazing conditions and environments and should be well suited to Mill Meadows. Pedigree registered Native Aberdeen Angus is one of the native breeds at risk.  They are being provided and managed by a local farmer. 

Initially there will only be five cattle to lightly graze the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) until the orchids start to emerge towards the end of May or early June.  The SSSI fields are Butchers, Oakfield and Cumborrow and you can find their location on the Mill Meadows Map on the home page under “Explore Our Trails” .  They will then be moved to other surrounding fields of the Mill Meadows Local Nature Reserve where they will be joined by 10 or so other cattle.  They will remain in these outer fields for most of the summer until sometime in August when they will be moved to the SSSI until the grazing is inadequate.   

When the cattle are in the fields, dogs should be kept close to one’s side at all times. 

These cattle will not have collars and it will not be currently possible to track them on a GPS system.  However, it is hoped that the Council and Mill Meadows Society will make a successful bid for finance to acquire collars in the near future.