Beatbush Organic Farm
The Beef Herd

The Beatbush organic beef herd was founded in the Autumn of 1999 with the purchase of 52 Limousin cross Friesian heifers and two Aberdeen Angus bulls. The bulls were put in with the heifers the following summer and we had our first calves in the Spring of 2001.

We retain most of the heifers for breeding and with the acquisition of more land in 2004 have purchased a number of heifers from an organic farmer in Somerset to expand the herd.

The hardiness of the Aberdeen Angus cross fits very well with an organic system. The cattle seem happiest when they are outside even when the weather is awful. It is necessary to bring them inside in the winter however because of the damage they can do to wet land. We make enough clover rich hay to sustain them through the winter and they seem to thrive on this simple system.

The majority of the calves are born in the Spring as nature intended so that the cows can take advantage of the flush of Spring grass to produce lots of milk for their hungry offspring. The calves are weaned in the Autumn and spend the winter housed on deep straw beds with hay and rolled organic oats or barley to maintain them.