Grazer of the Week 15th March; Rhubarb the Beltie

Grazer of the Week PONT Cymru Rhubarb the Belted Galloway

Rhubarb the Belted Galloway at 3 months old

Our #grazeroftheweek this week is Rhubarb the Belted Galloway. She is 3 years old, expecting her first calf in June and a lifelong conservation grazer!

Rhubarb is grazing with a herd of Highlands and Belties on Cors Goch fen on Anglesey. The fen belongs to North Wales Wildlife Trust. The site is a SSSI, noted for Medicinal leeches and Geyer’s whorl snail. There are Bittern on site plus green winged orchids, early Purples, Northern Marsh orchids and many others. Butterbean and Grass of Parnassus are also notable plants on the nature reserve.

There are a few areas of fen on the site, plus species-rich grassland and heath. The cattle are rotated around the site between April and December.

highlands and belties on cors goch pont cymru conservation grazingThey are owned by the Kehoe Family and are looked after by them, plus trained stock checkers from North Wales Wildlife Trust.

The Highlands enjoy wallowing in the pools and Belties love to stand around in the water too and munch on Phragmites. Reed Canary grass is a big favourite too!

Because there is Redwater on the site the calves are taken there from 1 month old to maintain immunity and cattle return to graze the nature reserve every year.

If you would like us to help you establish conservation grazing at a site, please get in touch!

Don’t forget you can enter your animals for the chance to feature as ‘Grazer of the Week’ by using #grazeroftheweek and tagging @pontcymru on Instagram and Facebook. Tell us a bit about you and your animals, we love to hear your stories.

By tagging PONT Cymru in your photos you agree that they can be used on our website or shared on social media at a later date with a credit.

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