Page 77 - Shorthorn Magazine

the other creatures that rely on them.
Dung beetles were the beginning of a journey for me in understanding how farming can benefit nature and vice versa. From hedgerows and trees that not only act as living, wildlife-filled farm boundaries but act as shelter for livestock during harsh conditions or shade on hot days. A source of browse for cattle, providing them with minerals and tannic qualities that impede parasites’ ability to reproduce. To ancient hay meadows that provide a diverse diet and allow cows the freedom to express natural behaviour - an important welfare consideration.
It was during this time that I came across the Nature Friendly Farming Network whilst helping one of my dairy clients improve conditions for the endangered Curlew. I was given the telephone number of James Robinson, the England Chair of the charity in Cumbria and told to call him directly. What I remember most about that conversation was how much time James gave me during what was clearly a busy day. We spoke for about half an hour where he imparted not only his own knowledge but other resources that
would help. It was clear to me that James understood this was important. He knew the plight of the Curlew, he understood there were farmers that were doing their utmost to protect wildlife on their farms and that it wasn’t easy.
I was incredibly grateful and when I was awarded my own Nuffield Scholarship to look into whether regenerative agriculture can improve the health and welfare of livestock. It seemed that for the UK leg of my travels - James was an obvious choice for a visit.
From the moment I arrived at Strickley, I was captivated. The farm, nestled in the Drumlins of the beautiful Cumbrian countryside was a stark difference to the flat floodplains of Cheshire and Shropshire where I spend my days vetting. James and Michelle welcomed me into the farmhouse with a smile and a brew. You could feel the warmth emanating from them and I knew from the start, these were good people.
James took me on a farm tour and as we stepped out into the sun - it was clear that this was s special place. The farm rolled out in front of us from the farm track, the gently sloping hillsides
peppered with trees and bushy hedgerows and dotted with the golden red and white specks of his beloved Dairy Shorthorns. Wildflowers bobbed their colourful heads at us as we walked past. Hares darted out in the fields and Water Crowfoot bloomed bright white in the beck - an indicator of a healthy river ecosystem. James pointed out farmland birds, turned over stones in the beck to show me Caddis fly larvae, told me of the White-clawed Crayfish he had seen and Otter spraint on the riverbank. Rare moths in his wildfIower meadows - the persistent buzzing from these fields let me know they were filled with life. I got the feeling that nature was safe here. A wildlife haven on a dairy farm of which I had never known the like.
The afternoon quickly turned from sparkling sunshine to driving rain, in true Cumbrian style! But that didn’t deter us from having a rummage around some of the dung piles. As we walked into the paddocks where his dry cows were, I was delighted to see huge, almost dinosaur- like pats, perfect for dung beetles - and as I lifted the first one, I found myself grinning as I spotted the thumb-sized holes under it - a sure indication of tunnelling dung beetles. The first I had seen on a dairy farm. James was thrilled when I placed one of the huge beetles into his hands, enamoured with its beautiful iridescent underbelly. As an Organic farm, James does not use Avermectins and this has allowed his dung beetles to thrive. I was delighted!
As we trailed back towards the farmhouse in the pouring rain, chatting all things nature friendly farming, James stooped to pick a few field mushrooms from the grass, their pearly white fruits glistening in the rain. He turned and said ‘Well, that’s breakfast sorted for tomorrow.’ And that was the moment I knew we were going to be friends. Any friend of fungi is a friend of mine.
For more information please follow
claire@theregenerativevet.co.uk
Call 07841775695
Instagram @dr_dowhittle www.dungbeetlesforfarmers.co.uk www.nffn.org.uk
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