Whilst beef is the end product of my farming system, it is my firm belief that cattle and other livestock can deliver a huge range of benefits for nature during the course of their life, if managed correctly.

Their dung alone can feed invertebrates like dung beetles, improve soil health, and thereby improve its ability to sequester carbon; and without my cattle grazing on Shalford Meadow, it wouldn’t be nearly as attractive for wading birds like Lapwing to spend the winter there.

Many of the issues associated with modern livestock production stem from where and how their feed is produced, which can increase their negative environmental impact significantly and detract from the brilliant benefits they can provide. That’s why I only feed my animals grasses, herbs, legumes, leaves and barley grown entirely along the Stour Valley, so I can tell you exactly what they have eaten, and how and where it was grown.