What do grass fed cows eat? | Hereford farm shop

…“Isn’t the name a huge giveaway?” we hear you ask.

Grass fed livestock, such as grass fed cows, most certainly munch on pasture containing luscious green grass.

However!

Across the country and beyond, many farmers are now sowing temporary pastures comprising a mixture of grasses, herbs and legumes, also known as herbal leys. Looking at fields from afar, you wouldn’t notice anything remarkably different about them, it’s only when you’re standing within them that you can see the combination cleverly combined.

So, why are farmers going out of their way to do this?

Herbal leys: livestock benefits

The grass species you can sow into herbal leys pastures provide grass fed cows with essential vitamins, minerals, fibre, oils, proteins and carbohydrates: boosting their general health and well-being, while fuelling them with natural energy.

In addition to the micro-nutrients they supply, certain herbs are incorporated because they’re rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which help to support immune systems and have anti-inflammatory properties.

Legumes also play a vital role within herbal leys pastures. Not only are they packed with protein, but some legume species are known to have anthelmintic properties thanks to the tannins within their makeup, helping to reduce parasite levels.

Collectively, grasses, herbs and legumes can lessen the need for farmers to source supplementary feed by nourishing livestock naturally and effectively.

Herbal leys: environmental benefits

While herbal leys are great for keeping parasitic worm levels low, they steer clear of the everyday earthworms working hard to regenerate the soil.

The specific sowing of grasses, herbs and legumes also nurtures soil fertility in a multitude of ways – from naturally capturing carbon and storing it in the soil as organic matter, to the legumes adding nitrogen to the soil which as a result, decreases the need for fertilisers, their subsequent costs and environmental emissions. What’s more, the structure of soil can be strengthened thanks to herbal leys, supporting other systems which protect farmland against both flooding and drought.

Herbal leys are so beneficial to the biodiversity of birds and insects, attracting many vital pollinators to the area.

Welcome to Shortwood Farms, nestled within our home county of Herefordshire

Anthony’s son, James, and his partner Ellie have reintroduced a small herd of native pedigree Herefords onto the family’s Herefordshire farm.

Driven by a shared passion to nurture and rear this special breed of cattle on an organic, pasture fed system for the production of the finest quality, 100% grass fed beef, James and Ellie have further chosen to mob graze the cows onto a different 10metre strip of fresh grass every day. Each strip is then left for 90days, so it has plenty of time to regenerate.

“Early indications are excellent,” James says.

“The regrowth we’re already seeing on the grass grazed is exciting, the cattle have never looked better, and the system is working extremely well.”

James and Ellie’s journey is only just beginning, and we welcome you to follow Shortwood Farms here to be the first to find out more about their sustainable, forward-thinking plans.