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Rainbows, shorthorns and woodland chickens: news from the Waddesdon Estate
The Waddesdon Estate comprises approximately 6000 acres, largely managed by a team of farmers and foresters. Here we share some of the news from the wider Waddesdon Estate.
Waddesdon rainbow
The Waddesdon Estate has bred its own Shorthorn calves this year and joined the British Shorthorn Society. As part of the membership, each new calf must be registered with a name beginning with a letter specified by the society on an annual basis. This year, the letter is ‘R’ and Tom, our Livestock Manager, had to get naming sixteen new arrivals. The rest of the Estate team chipped in with ideas, and the names of our first pedigree offspring include Russett, Roxanne, Royal, Rebel and Flossy Robin!
The final calf to be named was a beautiful white Shorthorn heifer, and after much mulling over the name suggestions, she was christened Waddesdon Rainbow in support and recognition of the NHS.
Woodland chickens
There are currently thirty laying hens who have free range to forage across a large area of Estate woodland. The hen house is periodically moved to allow the hens to forage new ground and regenerate the woodland floor.
Sheep shearing
All of the ewes on the Waddesdon Estate are now ready for the warm weather, having had their fleeces sheared at the beginning of May.
Waddesdon’s team of contract shearers can shear a sheep in less than a minute, and complete nearly one thousand sheep in just over a day and a half!
Feeding the cows
The farm team had a busy time making silage during the recent run of hot weather. Silage is fermented grass used to feed the cattle over the winter when they are housed indoors.