07.07.08

Cattle grazing at Penallta Marsh

As part of our efforts on Penallta Marsh Local Nature Reserve, the Countryside Service has brought in a small herd of cattle to graze the two small fields. Five young Welsh Black cattle and one Belted Galloway cow from the Countryside Service’s farm at Ynys Hywel, have been drafted in to help the Rangers with their management.

Penallta Marsh is a local nature reserve because of its rich diversity of flowers and plants, but unfortunately due to the lack of grazing for a number of years this diversity is under threat from more dominant plants such as bracken and bramble. The cattle will help to trample this vegetation and create better conditions for plants, such as Devil’s Bit Scabious, which is the food plant for the rare Marsh Fritillary butterfly.

The Ranger for the Parc Penallta, Ben Sands, said “Having cattle on the Marsh is a real step forward as grazing is the traditional way to manage this type of habitat. The cattle are much more sensitive to wildlife than mowers and heavy machinery.”

Whilst the cattle have now been taken off the Marsh they should be back later on in the summer and hopefully will become a regular sight at Parc Penallta.