Reserve Update

 Hi all,

As you are aware the cows are now off site, wet, wet, wet.

Just wanted to thank you all for your time checking the livestock this year! It is much appreciated :)

All the best,

Sam

Peter Manning | Tues 24 Oct

 Cattle now gone.

Richard Friday 20th October

In luck again- it was not raining early this morning when I went to check the cows. My luck ran out at the gate. I could just see one black cow far down the east side of the field so I went to look for them. The field is very very wet and in places more than knee deep as I discovered.

Took some time to find all seven. Two were at the eastern fence under trees and very difficult to see. The white one watched me carefully.

All seven munching well. They all looked well, but I did not get close to them.

Richard 

Peter Manning | Tues 17 Oct

Cattle all at the north of Ashley Meadow around 11:30, making me work to even see them! Non electric fence again off one of the posts, probably meaning that one of them had crossed the wires. But all the cattle looked well and munching; took the cream leader some of the cattle nuts, as usual others look on longingly.

Friday 13th October - Richard and Elizabeth

Luckily for us,

the cows were easily visible and countable because they were spread out near the gate. All 7 eating and looked well if rather wet.

Thanks to Sam for telling us about the battery.

Richard and Elizabeth 

Site Update

 Hi all,

I've removed the battery for the EF, it was dead. Will charge and replace when I'm next on site in 2 weeks.

Sam

Jackie and Nick Butler - Thurs 12th Oct

 The cows were hiding sitting down near the far end of the meadow, so we had to walk all the way down there to find them! They all got up, showing us their faces, which all looked fine and their tags appeared to be ok. Then they turned and ran off into the far corner, so we could see they were all moving well.

 Very kind cows - all close to the gate, so I didn't need the gumboots after all! Looking well and healthy - so were the cows.........

Peter Manning | Tues 10 Oct

 At around 09:30 cattle were all 7 in the NE part of Ashley Meadow. They were all munching away happily and looked well. Meadow perhaps a tad less wet, but still wellies a must. Non working e fence wires all intact, but drooping, presumably easy for cattle to step over.

Richard and Elizabeth -Friday 6th October 2023

The good news is the cows were close to the (non)-electric fence and easily counted from the path. The not so good news is one of them was on the wrong side of the fence, but see yesterday's blogs.

We continued to the screens and on our return all the cows were together further into the meadow.

All 7 were together happily eating as usual, and looking clean and healthy.

Richard and Elizabeth 

Checked Cattle Thursday 5th October

The electric fence along the ditch of Ashley Meadows does not work. Both Chris and Robin, the grazier, know it does not work.

Last night (4th October) David Thelwell told us he saw one of the black cows on the wrong side of the fence.

I phoned Robin last night to tell him. He is confident the cows will not cross the ditch . He said the cows will stay together.

Elizabeth and I checked the cows this morning. All seven were together at the far end of the meadow. Only two of them were visible from the gate so I (Richard) had to walk through the field to find them all.

They were clean, alert, moving around and happily eating. Two of the black one  saw me coming and hurried to the white one. The other black ones  saw me but carried on eating undisturbed. The white one stood watching me but did not move away.

Richard and Elizabeth.

Peter Manning | Tues 03 Oct

All 7 cattle looking well in Ashley Meadow at around 11am, but up at the north end so took a while to find. The electric fence appears not to be working, and in tens of places (now cleared a little) undergrowth was touching the wires. Upper wire was down in one place where it had come off the post, now put back and wire tightened to stop so much drooping. Additional intermediate wire supports are needed; in previous years use has been made of temporary plastic supports. Ashley Meadow remains very wet.