THE LAST REMNANTS
A herd of Highland Cows have been grazing the rough pasture on Baslow Edge in the Peak District for the past 40 years, helping to maintain the biodiversity of plant and animal life in the area.
A few years ago a dog walker made a complaint to the Health and Safety Executive stating he had been “pinned against a wall” by a heifer on Baslow Edge. The man had sustained no injuries, nor had his family or the dog. Apparently the heifer was being protective of her calf because of the presence of the dog.
The result was that the breeding herd was removed from the moor, under threat of criminal prosecution of the farmer by the HSE. Relocation of the cattle introduced welfare problems for the herd because the pasture wasn’t suitable. This lead to the deaths of a number of animals and the eventual sale (for slaughter) of most of the herd.
What is left on the moor today are the young heifers and steers, 13 animals who are the last remnants of a herd with 4 decades of history on the edge.
