This project is supported under the England Rural Development Programme by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund

We run a suckler beef herd, off mainly Hereford and Simmental Cross cows whereby each cow has a calf (sometimes two) each year. The gestation period for a cow is nine months.   When each calf is born it is given an ear tag to identify it from another calf. A passport is then issued for each calf  with details of  the mother, father, breed, sex and date of birth, this stays with the animal for its entire life for tracability.  The male calves are castrated at birth to produce ‘steers’  not ‘bulls’ which in turn gives a more mature flavour to the animal.  Each calf is also de-horned at birth to safe guard the other animals and the handlers!