Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

At low/medium stocking density, cattle grazing results in a comparatively long
tussocky sward of relatively uniform height which favours a rich flora and many
invertebrates.
Dexter cattle grazing rank
fen vegetation at Tidcombe
Fen, Devon (A.Skinner).
Cattle also serve a very useful role in trampling bracken and low scrub, breaking up
mats of dead litter and creating pathways through tall, dense vegetation. However,
cattle spend up to 16 hours a day resting while they digest their food, congregating
on dry land or shelter. Dung accumulation, turf damage and localised poaching can
be a problem around these favoured rest spots or around supplementary feeding
sites, particularly with heavier animals, on soft ground, or in wet weather.
Cattle trampling through
colonising woodland
around the margin of
Upper Lough Erne maintain
pockets of open fen right
down to the water’s edge
(P. Corbett).
Water buffalo are one of the oldest breeds of cattle in the world. The combination
of their hardiness and box hooves make them ideal for grazing wetlands, and they
can help maintain a diverse and low height structure (down to 6 cm) within fens
year-round. Initially, like most stock, water buffalo will graze the lush grasses and
sedges around the edge of the fen but will move on to tougher reeds once this food
supply reduces. Willow scrub, gorse, reeds and reed mace are all fodder for these
beasts. In addition they use their horns to pull out brambles in their path. A habit
of wallowing to keep cool creates open water beneficial to wetland invertebrates
and amphibians. Water buffalo will track through the tall fen vegetation which opens
up otherwise impenetrable reedbed in deeper water. If a site is set up for cattle
grazing, few modifications are required except raising the height of handling pens
by 30 cm, but water buffalo are intolerant of sheep. However, an added advantage
over domestic cattle is that water buffalo are immune to many bovine diseases,
particularly tick-borne Redwater fever.
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