Cow and calf in long grass

Our Animals

Our farm is home to pedigree English Longhorn and Beef Shorthorn cattle, Manx Loaghtan sheep and Tamworth pigs. These rare and native-breed animals are raised organically and play a core role in our regenerative farming system.


We also have some Boer goats, neither rare nor native, but excellent at browsing our hedgerows.

For most of the year our animals graze rotationally across a mixture of old permanent pastures and diverse herbal leys, moving regularly according to their nutritional needs and the grass growth rates. The dung that they leave behind feeds the soil and supports insects and other wildlife.

By browsing hedgerows and shrubs, our animals contribute to building habitat mosaics through their grazing habits and trampling of pasture and undergrowth. This is often seen where patches of bramble are partially cleared allowing enough light for primroses and other flora to flourish.

Our cattle, sheep and goats are all Organic and Pasture for Life certified https://www.pastureforlife.org. Our pigs are organic, fed a soy free diet and animal welfare approved https://agreenerworld.org. Our farm also meets red tractor certified standards https://redtractor.org.uk/.


English Longhorn cattle

English Longhorn cattle

A hardy and adaptable breed renowned for producing great quality beef. They have strong herd instincts and a docile temperament.

With their striking appearance and a long history dating back several hundred years, they fit well within the ancient pastures of Fowlescombe.

Our pedigree Longhorn beef is slow grown for over 30 months, grazing on our diverse pastures and hedgerows.


Beef Shorthorn cattle

Beef Shorthorn cattle

Native Beef Shorthorn cattle are slightly taller in their frame than the Longhorns. They vary in colour from pure white to a rich red. The most striking are the roan coloured, with the best of both.

Our pedigree Shorthorn beef has high quality fat marbling in the muscles and matures on our grass-fed system in around 24 months.


Tamworth Pigs

Tamworth Pigs

Tamworth pigs can still trace their ancestry back to the old English forest pig. They are a priority breed for conservation with only 300 breeding females registered in the UK.

Our pigs live outdoors all year, foraging in woodland and pasture. They are fed locally-grown organic grains and soy-free feed, as well as windfall apples in the autumn.


Manx Loaghtan Sheep

Manx Loaghtan Sheep

This primitive breed originates from the Isle of Man and is considered to be at risk of extinction by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Taking 12-18 months to fully mature, the meat from these sheep is rich and lean. The small ewes are well suited to our rougher pastures.


Boer Goats

Boer Goats in a field

Our small herd of Boer goats are neither rare nor native, but they do play an important role in browsing the hedgerows and scrub, twisting their heads up and around to trim branches that other animals don’t reach.

They also produce great-tasting meat.


Get in Touch

We would love to hear from others interested in growing the future of sustainable food produce in the UK.

Mobile signal is limited in the valley and we are often out tending to our animals, so if you can't get through please leave us a message or drop us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can.


Fowlescombe Farm
Ugborough
Ivybridge
Devon
PL21 0HW
hello@Fowlescombe.com

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