Conservation

There is a change of emphasis in farming today, spurred on by reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy that encourages sustainable farming practices that are sensitive to the environment.

Conservation management plays a central role in these reforms. Participation in environmental and conservation schemes, rather than production quota, being the basis for calculating the payments farmers receive from the public purse.

The Red Ruby Devon is ideally suited to this new “landscape” and is recognised by many conservation organisations as being a preferred breed of cattle for grazing land with conservation value. They need very little supplementary feeding. Damage caused by poaching around feeders is therefore minimised.

The Red Ruby Devon has known this for a few hundred years! Now others are recognising its abilities not just as a premium beef animal but as an essential part of the conservation jigsaw.

The Red Ruby Devon is a gentle, docile grazer causing minimal damage to grassland. They will graze and thrive on marginal land, and unimproved permanent pastures.

The Red Ruby Devon is the perfect solution for maximising profits from production and environmental management programmes. The Red Ruby Devon is one of the traditional breeds recognised by Natural England and can attract an extra payment per hectare as part of Higher Level Stewardship Schemes.