Go on a course: cows for beginners

'However beguiling a doe-eyed Jersey house cow may be, dairying, even for smallholders, is a huge commitment involving twice-a-day milking and yearly calves. The simpler option is to take on a couple of amiable beef cows - traditional breeds that grow more slowly and can be fed largely on grass.

 

'Jane Howard insists she's not an expert on cows, but that's why her day course for beginners is so reassuring, encompassing everything from fields and fencing to fillet steak. Five years ago she ran a PR company in London, now she has an award-winning herd of 40 Sussex cattle and sells beef boxes from the farm gate.

 

'Among our group were a London couple who hope to move to their Devon smallholding, others who already had a few Highland cows, and some who were simply exploring the idea of buying a few acres and fancied a cow. No one said they wanted to make money, but it's feasible - each cow produces 250 kilos of meat and demand for well-farmed beef is high.

 

'We began with the basics - the best breeds and their needs - and more complex calving and health issues. Jane was full of useful tips, from needing at least an acre per cow plus an acre for hay to recycling rainwater for your cows to drink.

 

'By the end of the day we knew our stores from our sucklers, all about bulling and bunting orders and when a heifer becomes a cow (after its second calf). We were also told to act confidently around them, as even a newborn can weigh a hefty 140 kilos.

 

'Jane's love for her new life was easy to understand when we spent the afternoon at her farm in the Sussex Weald, where the view was completed by a rich, chestnut herd chewing the cud among the clover-laden pasture. The damp noses, alert faces and swishing tales were signs of healthy, happy cows. This is how farming should be. Now, where can I find five acres?'

 

For more details on Jane Howard's Cows for Beginners course, visit www.perchhill.co.uk or call 0845 050 4849.

 

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