A three-pronged strategy to boost wildlife, conservation and food production has transformed an East Anglian estate in the last five years, visitors were told.
Farm manager Rob Raven led a 45-strong party on the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association’s spring tour around the 5,000-acre Somerleyton estate, near Lowestoft.
Mr Raven, who has been at the estate for five years and also farms between Henstead and Benacre, said wading birds were now thriving alongside the out-wintered herd of Welsh Black suckler cattle.
His conservation colleague, Michelle Whymark said 20 nesting pairs of avocet were recorded last year as well as lapwing, greenshank and redshank. This year's cold, wet spring has delayed nesting but around half a dozen avocet have been seen so far, she added.
Livestock manager Sam Bales outlined some key changes to 160 acres on the Somerleyton marshes, which still includes one block of arable land.
The water table has been raised as the estate controls the pumps in order to benefit wader habitat on the marshes, which look out towards the river walls of the Waveney, he said.
Capital grants have also made it possible to re-shape foot drains, culverts and create scrapes for waders. “Wet and muddy is the key for waders,” he added.
Since 2020, the estate’s Welsh Black suckler herd has been steadily increased towards a target of between 75 and 80 breeding cows. Apparently, the relatively large hooves of this native breed are well suited to the marsh grazing, suggested Mr Raven.
Food production is a core enterprise, with cropping including wheat, potatoes, oilseed rape, sugar beet and Maris Otter malting barley.
However, another new enterprise, a flock of about 200 Dorset Horn ewes is making a valuable contribution to the estate’s bottom line and improving soil fertility, visitors were told.
On the arable heartland, turtle doves have been sighted, but none have so far nested. But the hedge cutting and maintenance has been adapted to encourage taller and wider growth, which might encourage these special birds to return.
The party was driven around 330 acres of parkland, which in the 1990s had included a significant arable acreage but was now grazed by a handful of Exmoor ponies, some free-range pigs and a herd of about 30 Welsh Black suckler cattle and calves.
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