The Cows Of Castle Farm
Our supplier Natural Farms gave us an update how the cows are fairing on Castle Farm this week, where we source a good amount of our Beef.
David Latham is the stock-man at Castle Farm. Amazingly enough it’s just him and his assistant that look after over 300 cattle. Farming is a hard job!
At this time of the year the cattle prefer to stay indoors in the barns, like the rest of us they hate the cold wet weather! However, more time in the barn means more work for David. The cattle’s bedding needs topping up three times a week and the barn gets a complete clean out in late January, something that happens about 3 times a year.
The cattle’s bedding and feed throughout the winter is all grown and harvested on Castle Farm. The best maize is fed to the animals that are almost fully grown. This was harvested back in September. Younger cattle eat silage, which is grass that has been grown in the summer and stored. A growing Steer or Heifer will eat around 25kg a day of silage. All part of keeping warm and cosy in winter! The straw for bedding was harvested and dried earlier in the year too down in the lower fields before being brought up the hill for winter.
In these coldest months, heifers are also prepared for having their calves. These will be born in March in the comfort and warmth of the barns before all the cattle are encouraged back out into the fields in April or May.
