Like many farms in the UK our beef cattle are grazed outside on grass for most of the year and are brought indoors to over-winter in our generously sized cattle sheds where they have freedom to move around & are fed on the hay & silage we have produced from our own fields during the year. This means that unlike intensively reared cattle, ours are not reliant on grains & bulking feeds. Red Ruby Cattle are classed as a rare breed that originated in North Devon and our pedigree herd are particularly well suited to converting poor quality grass pasture into well defined muscle. We farm on the edge of Dartmoor but are below the moorland line so our pasture is fairly poor quality but Red Rubies are perfectly designed to thrive here.
We are a relatively small farm, unlike those in Australia and the Americas where sometimes you may find 30,000 – 100,000 animals on a single farm! As a consequence we have much higher welfare standards and a lower environmental impact. As well as being Red Tractor certified we are Hi-Health certified which means our cattle are regularly tested and cleared for the 5 major diseases affecting cattle. Not many farms go to these lengths to ensure the health of their herd so we are very proud of our achievement! It is important to note that Hi -Health also keeps our antibiotic use to an absolute minimum in all our animals, only using them on Veterinary advice to reduce suffering. It is worth noting growth-promoting hormones have been banned in the UK for more than 40 years- not so in the United States!
And where do I start about air miles………
