Grazing in Epping Forest
The management of the important wood-pasture habitat in Epping Forest greatly benefits from a grazing herd of English longhorn cows.
We use pioneering ‘No Fence’ technology to enable the cows to roam throughout key areas of the ancient woodland. We produce a weekly work programme which provides the approximate location of the cows.
Of course, any animal must be treated with respect and we ask our visitors to adhere to this when they encounter the cows whilst they out and about in Epping Forest doing their great work to improve the biodiversity of this special place.
Whilst it is never possible to remove all potential risks with grazing animals in a shared use landscape, please be assured that we take all measures available to reduce and mitigate this risk. We do this by:
Breed choice: We use a heritage breed “English Longhorns” which are adapted to the vegetation and habitat type found on the Forest and are known for their docility. They have gone from a rare breed to over 10,000 breeding females and are used in large numbers on conservation grazing projects with public access across the country.
Breeding: We have a breeding herd which allows us to select animals based on many criteria with temperament being one of the highest.
Calving: Our cows give birth in the autumn and at this time they are brought back into buildings so calves are not being born in areas which are publicly accessible. When the calves go out in spring for the first time, they are 5-7 months old. The rumen (stomach) of the calves by this age will be developed so they are not solely relying on milk from their mothers and are akin to teenagers so that the cows are not as protective of their young.
Animal selection: We score the cow’s temperament whilst being handled and when they are out in the training field to see how they react to people and dogs. These scores feed into our programme and help us to ensure that only appropriate animals are selected for sites where there are large numbers of visitors.
Group selection: Each group of animals that grazes a specific site is built around good herd dynamics of having a matriarch and mixed ages above 2.5 years old. This makes management easier when moving and allows younger animals to learn and defer to the older and more experienced animals.
Husbandry checks: Animals are checked regularly by a skilled herdsperson; the GPS system provides instant notifications to multiple members of staff if issues are reported.
Out of hours: We have a call-out team providing a response 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
Signage: We put signage out at major entrances to grazing sites to inform people livestock are present, however, because the Forest boundaries are often open and accessible visitors can enter the Forest from many directions. Unfortunately it is not feasible to have signage along all our borders. Where we re-introduced cattle to areas where they have been absent for many years we use large temporary triangle signs to help alert people to their presence.
Communication: Locations of cattle and numbers are sent out to stakeholders on a weekly basis.
Infrastructure: Under the grazing expansion plan we installed infrastructure along major road networks through the Forest. Wooden fencing and cattle grids prevent animals straying onto major road networks.
Education: We run ‘meet the cattle’ days where members of the public can meet with our staff responsible for grazing in Epping Forest and learn about the cows, basic husbandry, animal behaviour, how to act around the cows and the role of grazing and how it benefits the Forest.
Whilst we have all these preventive measures in place, our grazing cows are of course animals. The Forest is their home and we therefore ask our visitors to behave in a way that does not cause the animals any unnecessary stress. Cows are prey animals and when put under undue stress, like any species, they can react with fight or flight.
The largest group of visitors to Epping Forest are dog walkers and we welcome well-behaved dogs. Some dogs are happy to walk past the cows without any interaction however some dogs can of course react to the cows. We ask visitors to have effective control of their dogs at all times and this is particularly important around the grazing herds. If your dog is likely to be reactive to the cows, please put them on a lead around them. Please respect the cows at all times, passing them as widely and as quietly as possible as you explore Epping Forest. There are 8,000 acres of Epping Forest and the Buffer Lands and as such there is plenty of space to enjoy without the need for passing by the cows in very close proximity. As you would any animal, please respect their important personal space.
Should you have any concerns about the welfare of the cows or any incidents at all whilst in Epping Forest please telephone our contact number, 020 8532 1010 which is staffed 24/7 (obviously please always dial 999 if an emergency response is required).