Letter: Benign way to raise cattle
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Richard Mountford (letter, 27 January) criticises livestock farming for its wasteful use of water, and for its pollutive effects. This may be so of systems which exploit the animal, even de-nature it. But there has always been a benign pastoral way which was traditional in Britain, and is still widely used in New Zealand.
It is based upon permanent pasture, never ploughed, water-absorbent, herb-rich, producing meat with flavour. Those of us who practise it dare to assert that grass-eating animals need eat only grass or grass products.
Although sometimes seen as the forgotten art of grazing management, it survives strongly in Normandy and the Alpine pastures. We could encourage it as the best way to keep a landscape of beauty, or parkland of variety (not just boring commercial grass), rivers and streams protected from flooding and erosion - and pollution.
Here is a way to store rainwater in the soil, refill the aquifers and escape from the necessity of endlessly hurrying surface water to the sea. Animals are free from stress or frightening diseases, their mothers true partners in managing land, kept to live a long and healthy life.
DAVID GORDON
Bristol
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments