The Cows have left

Hi guys

Just to make you all aware that the 6 Friesian cattle which were grazing the Timpany site have been completely removed from the Grazing Trial. There will be no cattle grazing on the Hart or Timpany site until spring 2011, either April or May.

All the fencing material (except for the wooden and metal posts) has been removed from the Hart site. I will be dismantling the Timpany fence this week.

Thanks for all your work and time volunteered, I hope to be returning as Grazing Ranger for next seasons grazing trial beginning mid April.

Regards

Craig

Moving cattle

Hi Craig,
I will come over on Monday to help.
Do you want me there at midday (? and where to meet) or will you text me when you get there?
Hilary

The Cows are leaving!

This coming Monday (4th October) the 6 Friesians on the Hart site will be taken off the heath as the grazing trial comes to an end for this year : ( . The plan is to herd them up into the corral on Monday afternoon and either

a) take them back to the graziers farm, or

b) move them up on to the Timpany site for a couple of weeks as long as issues with the grazing agreement are sorted by Monday.

Either way, it would be extremely useful if we could get a few extra bodies on the heath to help herd the cattle up the hill towards the corral (last time I believe Lynda and the grazier had a bit of a challenge herding the belted Galloways by themselves!).

If anyone is available Monday afternoon between 12:00 and 16:00 and wouldn't mind giving a hand, please let me know either on this blog, via text to the grazing phone or simply call me! The number is 07774263889 if you haven't already got it.

Cheers guys

Craig

Weekend 25/26th September

Cows checked and all fine.

It is planned that the cattle will be taken off a week Monday/Tuesday after speaking with the grazier. It seems the cows may be running out of palatable things to eat as the season comes to an end.

I will keep you updated

Craig

Cattle check - Friday 24 Sept.

Cows too busy to say hello to me as they were squabbling over a new salt lick, up near the corral. All look well.
Hilary

Weekend 18/19th September

Hi all,

Good weekend on Hazeley, the cattle have been fit and healthy. Three rectangular sheets of roofing felt have been placed on the slope next to the bottom field gate with the aim to improve the colony of silver studded blue butterfly for next summer. I placed them today and the cows were already kicking and moving them. If you do happen to see them from the path as a result of this, just reposition them slightly so they aren't so visible making them flat to the ground.

Cheers

Craig

Cattle check - Friday 17 Sept

Cows checked yesterday afternoon and this morning at 9am. All grazing on the small hill near the big gate at the bottom of the pasture. All look fit and well, and seem to be moving around the heath quite a lot.

Hilary

Cattle check - Monday 13 Sept.

Cows all look fit and well. This morning they were down by the boardwalk and by 3pm have moved over to the right of the path down from the tank ramp. They are certainly covering the ground.

Hilary

This week 6/9/10 - 12/9/10

Hi guys

All is well on the Hart site, the 6 friesens have been moving and eating well this week and weekend. They seem to be preferring the north/north-eastern area of the site most, and in particularly, in amongst the area of small birch trees found virtually in the centre of the grazing plot (make sure you have a good look in there if you can’t see them as they get right in amongst the birch and are very hard to see despite being black and white!).

As for the Timpany plot, every effort is being made to return cattle to the grazing plot before the end of the season (end of October) so fingers crossed legal and paperwork issues are resolved soon. I will let you know ASAP on this blog whether we get the go ahead or not.

Please keep up your great work watching the cattle and keep in touch.

Cheers

Craig

Cattle check - 2pm, Friday 10 Sept.

Cows at bottom of slope from tank rank. All look fit and well.

Hilary

Cattle Check: 3pm Thursday 9 Sept

Woke the cows from their afternoon siesta up by the corrall. All look fit and well, despite being made to get up!
Had a good look for sheep ticks as follows:
91,94,78 and 76 (Bullseye) all look clear to me.
95 (mini horn) has several small lumps, most of which I saw some time ago. 3 on his right eyelid and 2 on his right nostril. They all look like warts to me, but unfortunately he would not let me touch him (and the horns put me off attempting to grab him!) .
106(twiggy, who has now put on weight) has several new lumps, all of which I think are sheep ticks. 1 on top of right ear, 1 on right nostril and 2 on right side of neck.

As long as they have been vaccinated against lymes, there is probably nothing to worry about and I am sure the grazier is aware by now.

Hilary

I have had a good look at the cows and I'm fairly sure that the lumps are sheep ticks. The sort of vegetation at Hazeley would make their appearance fairly common, and they tend to get them around the head as they graze with their heads in the grass. The grazier should have had them vaccinated against lymes disease and other illnesses associated with ticks, but when he checks on them I'm sure he will let me know whether he thinks it is a problem. The ticks should just drop off when they are full, and the cows don't seem bothered by them.

Having said this I'm not 100% sure they are sheep ticks, so Hilary when your next down there could you have a quick look please?

Thanks, Leigh

Thanks Colin. I will check the cows today and see if I can make out what these lumps are.

Leigh

Cattle check - Sat 4th, 08:30

No sign of any Friday night parties. Cattle grazing and paddling on and just to the right of the middle path. Bull 30116 has a lot small round lumps on his face, as does 40099 to a lesser extent. 40099 also has some strange shaped lumps around his top left eyelid. Difficult to see whether or not these are ticks because, unlike the other bulls, these 2 wouldn't let me touch their faces.

Afraid I won't be able to make any checks for the next couple of weeks now.

Cattle check - Friday 2 Sept. 08:30

Cattle grazing happily across top of the path near the tank ramp.
Hilary

Cattle check - Thurs 2nd, 13.00

All happily grazing to the right of the tank winch entrance and looking fit and well.

The buzzards were very vocal!

Cattle check - Wednesday 1 Sept

Cattle checked at 3pm, all grazing contentedly by main slope down from tank ramp.
They seem to be making a good effort to eat as much grass as poss.
Hilary

Cattle watch - Tuesday 31 Aug.

Cattle checked at 5.30pm today. All fit and well - grazing down by bottom gate.
Bullseye (aka no. 76) seems none the worse for being head-butted by another cow yesterday.
He has a small scab in the middle of his forehead, but the flies were not bothering him too much.

Hilary

New Ranger

Hi All

I have now taken over Lyndas role as Grazing Trial Ranger at Hart up until the end of the grazing season (29th October).

I have checked the fence and cattle everyday over the bank holiday, all cattle looked healthy, moving well and eating lots!

The fence was cut (just the top wire) by the bottom field gate on Sunday afternoon which I repaired on Monday.

I have met some of you already but hopefully I will get the opportunity to meet all of you sometime on the heath.

Craig

Cattle check - Friday 26 @ 2.30pm

Cows grazing in flat pasture by boardwalk. 95 has given himself a mud face pack. All look fit and well and moving around at quite a pace today.
Hilary

Cattle check - Thursday 25 @ 8.30am

Checked cows in the rain. All grazing in flat land near bottom path and appear well.
Hilary

Oops, sorry, I meant cow 106.

I'll have a good look at cow 108 today and call the grazier if neccessary. I noticed a couple of days ago that the grazier has been and given them a new mineral lick, so I'm sure he would have checked them over at the same time. I think I would have heard from him if he was particularly worried. It could be that 108 is just naturally a bit small and skinny, which will naturally make us more protective of him!

Leigh

Cow check - 8.30am Wednesday 25

My husband Keith checked the cows yesterday afternoon and they were fine.
I have been down at 8.30 today - they are all grazing quite happily close to the boardwalk.
I have noticed that over the past few days 106 (black cow with white face) looks quite poor in comparison to the rest - his coat is still dull and he does not seem to be putting on much weight.
Perhaps I am getting too protective!

Hilary

Hi Colin,

Not a problem. I hope your leg gets better soon!

Leigh

1 man down

Afraid I am going to be out of action with my leg for the next week or so and therefore won't be able to check on the cattle again until next Tuesday at the earliest.

Hi All,

I checked bullseye's eye today, he actually let me have a feel around it although I got a near headbut afterwards! He isn't actually weeping from his eye, and it all looks fine so i don't know whether that dark patch that leads from it is some dirt that won't shift or just his natural colouring. I'll keep an eye on it anyway and if it appears to be changing or getting worse I'll inform the grazier. Other than that they all looked healthy and happy to me.

Leigh

Cattle Check - 2.15pm Monday

Cattle all well and grazing at bottom of slope in front of tank ramp entrance. Bullseye's eye looks fine so guess either Leigh or the grazier sorted it.
They all look as if they are putting on weight - hope that is so.

Hilary

Hi All,

I'm heading down to the heath today so I will check over Bullseye and make sure his eye is okay. If necessary I will call the grazier. Lynda had a few problems putting the grid that Craig mentioned on to the blog and I'm afraid since she left I haven't had the time to try and get it on here. I think it might be easier for me to email it to you all, so expect that shortly.

Thanks for covering the weekend, and all the days in between!

Leigh

Cattle check - 2.30pm Sunday

Have checked cattle this pm - grazing between boardwalk and bottom fence. Same cow still has weepy eye. Did not walk all the fence I am afraid, but the cattle are fit and well.
Hilary

Cattle and Fence Check - Sunday 22nd August 15:30

No issue with fence line other than a few fallen branches on the new section of fence line across the Western side of the trial area, near the corral. Battery is fine (green flashing light).

Cattle found in Grid D8 under a small oak tree. All were standing, no signs of lameness.

Have other people received the Gridded map of the grazing trial site?

Sunday check

Afraid I've pulled my calf muscle (appropriate!) and am therefore unlikely to be able to check the cattle and fence tomorrow morning. If anyone else gets a chance ...?

Cattle check - Sat 21st, 8.30am

Fence fine and cattle grazing in birch scrub below corral. Bull 0976 ("Bullseye" to Leigh!) has a weepy right eye - reported to Leigh by text earlier - but all others fine.

Cattle check - Friday 20 August 14:30

Cattle grazing by bottom gate near boardwalk. All appear fit and well.
Hilary

Cattle check - Thurs 19th, 9.30am

Cattle and fencing all looking in good nick. Cattle spread out in the shorter grazing down by the boundary fence.

Thanks Hilary, I'll check about the foam insulators today. I have some spare one's if the kids have nicked them.

Leigh

Cow check - 3pm Wednesday 18 Aug.

Cows enjoyed playing hide and seek today! All fit and well, grazing in boggy land between corral and boardwalk.

Not sure if gate by the tank ramp had foam protectors on either side of it. If it did, the foam protectors on the right hand side have gone.

Hilary

Cattle Check 14:00 Monday

Cows are chilled out, grazing contentedly in pasture by boardwalk. Got them all up - none lame.
Hilary

Checked cows at 3pm. They have moved up hill to by the water trough and are all fit and well.
Hilary

Cattle check - Mon 16th, 11.00am

Just run through the paddock (the joys of working at home!) and the cattle are cooling themselves by paddling in the wet stuff over by the bottom LH gate. All present and correct.

Thanks for covering the weekend guys, it's such a big help. Nice to hear there were no big problems. I thought they looked like they were putting on weight as well, which is a good sign. I thought they were a bit skinny when they first went on, so fatter is better!

Cheers again,

Leigh

Cattle check - Sun 15th, 8.00am

Walked the fence and all fine. Cattle in a similar place to yesterday morning - all looked fine and moving well. Noticed that they all have well-rounded bellies - hopefully a sign of health?

Cattle check - Sat 14th, 8.00am

Just back from walking the fence line and checking the cattle. Fence is fine and no sign of any partying last night - no doubt thanks to the weather!

Cattle were all lying under an oak in the hollow to the right of the top-middle entrance. Got them up and moving and no sign of any mobility problems. Also no sign of any new cuts or grazes.

Cow watching

Have checked the cows every afternoon this week. Think they play hide and seek!
All fit and well. Today removed several bits of broken glass where they were grazing (in boggy woodland in high ground between two top gates).
Hilary

Thank you for adding to the blog. I'm glad to see it's up and running. I will try and add the grid map soon that Lynda and Craig produced.

It's always nice to hear about the Nightjar and to know it's still around on the nest. I checked the cattle today and all 6 are present and correct. We are still on the hunt for a replacement for Lynda, until then I'll be handling the running of the project with help from the other rangers. Any questions/worries please don't hesitate to email me on leigh.neville@hart.gov.uk or call my mobile on 07919541156. I have Lynda's old phone, so that is still the emergency contact number.

Thanks again to everyone!

Cowcheck

Did my first cow check yesterday (Monday). Eventually found all six as they were split up into group of four and two.

Second cow check at 2pm today. All six fit and well. Also disturbed a nightjar with two chicks in the heather near the boggy area. Will try to avoid them in the future.

Hilary

Report

Sunday 9pm: four cows in Hart enclosure appeared well and feeding.

Blog for Hazeley Heath Lookers

Hello

I have never created a Blog before so keep your fingers crossed!

The idea of the blog is so all the Lookers and the Rangers can keep in touch.

Some of you have kindly signed up for extra duties at the weekends while Hart continues its search for a new Seasonal Ranger.

If you go out on to the heath to check the cattle please can you add to the Blog, just a date and time will be fine but other interesting observations welcome.
If there are any problems with the fence or cattle please call 07774263889.
This number will always be held by an on call ranger.

My colleague will add some pictures and a grid map.

Thank you for all your help

Lynda