Conservation Grazing on Salisbury Plain

Farming on a military training area can be exciting, to say the least! You never know when you'll run into a convoy of tanks or happen upon a well hidden soldier. But our grass management isn’t just a question of avoiding armoured vehicles — we practice conservation grazing, which means that our cattle graze in a way designed to promote and protect biodiversity.

Salisbury Plain is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and also happens to be the largest area of chalk grassland in north-west Europe. It is home to an incredibly diverse range of flora and fauna which are interdependent on grazing animals and - believe it or not - the army training. Some species love the disturbed ground caused by heavy vehicles and others, like fairy shrimps, make their homes in pools of water in tank tracks.

Our cattle graze inside temporary fences and are moved every 1 - 3 weeks, depending on the season and grass growth. Wide grass margins are left between pens; the varied vegetation provides a habitat mosaic which supports different kinds of wildlife.