A herd of cattle will return to Bristol’s Stoke Park Estate for a third year. Cows will graze on parts of the historic grounds , situated in north east Bristol, in order to stop the spread of scrub and invasive fast-growing trees, and allow a greater variety of grassland plants and wildlife to flourish.
Nine cows have already been welcomed back on the site this month, with more to follow. The cattle are a mixture of heifers (maiden cows) and steers (castrated males).
Breeds so far at Stoke Park are Shetland, Hereford, British Blue, and Holstein. Most of them were grazing at the parkland last year but there are some newcomers this year.
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Breeds were picked for hardiness and being able to thrive well on grass alone. According to Bristol City Council there will be around 18 on site this year, with numbers growing year-on-year.
Cattle’s grazing habits can often get to places that machinery can not and they also help stop the spread of scrub and invasive, more dominant plant species. This allows other plants, including wildflowers, to thrive, which will encourage insects, which in turn provide food for birds and mammals.
A whole host of wildlife will also make a cowpat their home - more than 250 species of insect can be found in or on cattle dung in the UK and these in turn provide food for birds, badgers, foxes and bats.
The public are reminded that fields with cattle in will be clearly signposted and dogs will need to be kept on a lead while walking through these fields. Please ensure gates are closed behind you too.
The cows will be coming from a local farm and will be checked daily by the herdsman and park rangers.
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