We believe our animals should live a natural life with minimal stress. Our management of both the deer and cattle is very similar, closely following the Five Freedoms. The stock roam in a safe natural environment with plenty of space and lots of shelter from the wind and rain as well as shade on the occasional sunny day!

Contact and confidence
We check our stock every day, more often when calves are expected or stock housed. With this level of contact, the animals know us and we know them. We move them onto fresh pastures regularly so they know their way around and don’t find moving through gates and into new environments alarming or stressful.

The breeding bulls and stags mate their females naturally - we don’t use AI (artificial insemination). The females give birth and rear their young to a natural weaning age with little need for assistance. Veterinary treatments are administered only if required - fortunately a rare occurrence – and we don’t routinely administer antibiotics, wormers or growth promoters.

Managing the pasture
A lot of time is spent managing pastures to ensure there is plenty of quality food available year round. We don’t use artificial fertilisers or additives in our silage and we don’t apply pesticides.

The stock are grass-fed rather than being more intensively reared on a cereal-based ration, so grow more slowly. Our pastures contain a range of grass species and have a high clover content. Like us, animals need a varied diet to keep them healthy so deep-rooted herbs, wild flowers and even plants sometimes considered ‘weeds’ are an essential part of our pasture mixes, contributing essential minerals and trace elements.

Five Freedoms

Originally drawn up by the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC), the five freedoms form the cornerstone of all animal welfare codes and animal welfare legislation.
Freedom from hunger & thirst
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from pain, injury or disease
Freedom to express normal behaviour
Freedom from fear or distress