The Trust's black and white Belted Galloway cattle are now a familiar sight across much of Surrey.
Grazing is the most natural method of looking after the landscape and the way that cows feed creates a greater variety in the habitat, allowing species such as nightjars, heath tiger beetles, reptiles and cotton grass to thrive.’
Belted Galloways are the ideal breed of cattle to graze our sites. These hardy cattle originate from the lowlands of Scotland and have a proven track record in grazing both heathland and chalk grassland.
Although predominantly grazers, the breed eats a greater degree of scrub and browsethan many other cattle types. They also don't graze as selectively as sheep and ponies, helping to remove coarse grasses and create a greater variety of structure in habitats. Their bulk also enables them to create areas of bare ground and break up dense vegetation.
The Trust's Belted Galloway herd currently stands at over 400 cattle, which can be seen on a variety of sites including Chobham Common, Wisley Common, Whitmoor Common and Ash Ranges.
