The Fordhall Suckler Herd

The chosen cattle at Fordhall are Herefords and Aberdeen Angus.

Our free range cattle graze on our chemical free herbal pastures through winter and summer with no other feed (otherwise known as Foggage Farming). All Herefords and Aberdeen Angus, our traditional herd is hardy and accustomed to living outdoors.

We are currently building up our suckling herd. They generally calve in the spring and are on the farm for you to see when you visit the nature trail. We have recently acquired some pedigree Aberdeen Angus and pedigree Hereford cattle which are the back bone of the new suckler herd. Our new bull was purchased from Carlisle in the spring of 2008 and has been named Hamish. These traditional breeds are accustomed to living out doors and have thick coats to cope with winter weather.

How it works for our animals

With no added fertilisers, no routine antibiotics or hormones, and no other animal feeds, our cattle grow and mature stress-free as they would naturally.

The elimination of dry feed from the diet is just one example of how Fordhall’s herd is set apart from the conventional. By maintaining a fresh grass fed diet our cattle experience no major dietary changes (as those which may occur when housed dry fed cattle are returned to fresh pastures in the spring).

Omega Three

A Grass Fed diet has been proven to increase concentrations of the Essential Fatty Acids Omega 3 and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) in beef, in comparison to grain fed cattle. These fatty acids, which also occur in oily fish, play an essential role in metabolism (chemical changes which take place in our bodies to utilise food and eliminate waste materials) and have been proven to:

• Play an essential role in the prevention of coronary heart disease and high blood pressure
• Reduce the risk of depression and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
• Help prevent cancer and degenerative illnesses in the walls of arteries
• Enhance growth promotion and reduce body fat

These fatty acids are called essential as they can not be produced by the body but have to be consumed in food.

If you have any more questions regarding our farming system or the way in which our livestock are reared please email the farm.

See http://www.mercola.com/beef/health_benefits.htm for more information on the health benefits of grass fed produce.