At Mount Eerwah Park we have discovered that grazing Miniature Galloway cattle can actually be done in an ecologically friendly manner on a well managed property. If there is an environmentally sound way to achieve a good result we endeavour to incorporate it. We cell graze, mulch and slash our pastures and always keep our land well understocked. We maintain the good health of our cattle with organic products and homeopathic remedies when and where possible. We do not use chemical fertilisers or broad scale chemical weed control.  We assist the movement of wildlife throughout our property by removing barbed wire from the top and bottom strands of all our fences and by using a single strand of electric polywire as fencing where ever possible. Our cattle are only too happy to cohabitate with the wildlife.  

Miniature Galloway cattle are non selective grazers and will thrive in harsh conditions. They are being used in Australia and around the world in very carefully monitored grazing programs in environmentally sensitive areas. These programs are designed to reclaim and restore degraded lands.

Our cattle remain in good condition all year round without additional feed (other than the odd treat!). Our cattle provide the only fertiliser we use and they do the weeding!

Our pasture and our soil continues to improve in appearance and quality every season. The dung beetle population is increasing every year.

Our parasites (both internal and external) are decreasing every season - along with the expense of chemicals. 

Our wildlife is thriving and the biodoversity on the property is on the improve.

Grazed Grass Stores More Carbon.

Growing plants take carbon dioxide out of the air and "fix" it into the soil as organic matter. The more carbon dioxide that's taken out of the air, the lower the rate of global warming. Until recently, forested land and ungrazed grasslands were thought to be the best "sinks" or storehouses for carbon. A recent study concluded that well managed, grazed pasture may be far better.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in our air is rapidly rising, a condition that contributes to the greenhouse effect and potential global warming. The more of the carbon that can be contained in the soil, however, the less that escapes into the air. A report released by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service found that soil stored 2 to 3 times more carbon when the grass was grazed than when it was harvested for hay or not harvested at all.

Another benefit of grazing researchers have noted, is that grazing also reduces costs by lowering needs for herbicides and producing income from the livestock. They estimated that even putting as little as 10 percent of existing cropland into rotation with grazing would produce significant cost reductions.

 Management Intensive Grazing - Cell Grazing

All ruminants—including cattle, belch up a significant amount of methane gas as they digest their grass-based diet. Methane gas is a potent contributor to global warming, so reducing methane production is an important step in protecting the environment.

Animal scientists have discovered that dividing pasture land into separate areas or “paddocks” and carefully managing the movement of cattle through those paddocks produces the highest quality grasses. Cattle that graze on this succulent grass produce as much as 20 percent less methane. This style of farming is called management intensive grazing or cell grazing.

DeRamus, H. A., T. C. Clement, D. D. Giampola, and P. C. Dickison. "Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle on Forages: Efficiency of Grazing Management Systems." J Environ Qual 32, no. 1 (2003): 269-77.

 The herd is ready to move into the next cell. Electric fences make this easy to manage.