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You
may have heard of our very own gastro gourmand, Greedy
Cow. Her mission is to track down the best food and drink
in the county.
But
now we've found some real-life greedy cows - who are helping to
transform an overgrown nature reserve for their feathered friends!
Seven
Highland cows have arrived at the Old Moor RSPB reserve near Broomhill,
Barnsley to begin a six month working holiday which will see them
munch their way through overgrown vegetation on the reserve.
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| "Excuse
me, we're busy working!" |
Four
of the cows will be grazed on the Field Pools, so can easily be
spotted by visitors to the reserve. The remaining three will graze
land near Wath Ings.
Warden
Tom Bridge told us, "The cows will help us create ideal conditions
for lapwing and redshank chicks.
"They
will crop the sward to just the right level for the youngsters,
which don't like long grass, especially when the weather is cold
and wet.
"Highland
cows are really hardy animals and will happily eat the overgrown,
rough vegetation we have here," he added.
The
cattle are being provided by Keith Gascoigne, whose family farmed
Old Moor before it became a nature reserve.
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| The
cows will graze the overgrown moor to create ideal conditions
for birds. |
Keith,
who now runs Grazing for Environmental Management (GEM) from his
farm in Flockton, West Yorkshire, explained, "The hardiness
and size of the Highlander makes them an ideal choice for a conservation
site.
"They
are not selective in their choice of fodder so no single species
becomes dominant. In this way, a greater diversity of plants can
exist on the reserve.
"At
the same time as helping conserve special areas such as Old Moor,
we are promoting the survival of one of Britain's oldest breeds.
"My
family connections with Old Moor make me proud to be associated
with this project," he added.
The
cows will stay at RSPB Old Moor throughout the summer and autumn,
returning to their Flockton home for the winter.
The
cows certainly win the Greedy Cow stamp of approval - five moos!
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