CATTLE AND SHEEP WITH TABLE MANNERS

Packing

a munch

for nature

A group of munching Belted Galloway cattle (pictured)  in  Cumbria`s  Eycott Hill nature reserve- between Berrier and Mungrisdale- and the volunteer  carers who look after them is a fascinating story.

 Equally fascinating is another story  of munching animals that has just emerged in The Times newspaper.The Times munchers are sheep.

These Belted Galloways owe their existence to  what might be called their table manners- like all cattle  they graze using their tongues which means that  only the larger vegetation is eaten leaving space for smaller vegetation to develop and add  colour and variety to the nature reserve.

Sheep on the other hand graze using their teeth.The difference is  understandable because  cattle have no upper set of teeth. So the tongues are invaluable. Sheep have the full monty of two sets of teeth.

Those two sets are responsible for the  munching animals in the Times . That newspaper`s   readers have been having a field day  (more correctly, a churchyard day)  telling  of how versatile munching sheep are in churchyards because of their  two sets of teeth.

The story started  with a Times article about the benefits of  rewilding…allowing nature to set the pace  on a farm, with no help from intensive cultivation.

 Readers responded to the article with a flood of letters about  sheep and how useful  these animals are with their two sets of teeth in keeping the grass in check in churchyards 

Sheep in  a churchyard is desecration, said one reader.The dead don`t mind, said another reader. Sheep  in churchyards tread in flower seeds,said another.

One retired clergyman said that in Yorkshire some clergyman hold an auction for  the right to graze their graveyards with sheep.This   grazing of course provides an income for the church.

 
Community Voice Carlisle is the blog of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents`Federation. Information about the Federation is availableon 01228 522277