Jonathan and Laura Chapman own the beautiful red cattle grazing around Sarratt, Amersham, Chalfont St Giles and Chipperfield. They produce “Native Beef” for sale directly from the farm. Jonathon tells us why it is so special.…
The Chapman’s cows are Red Ruby Devons, a British native breed known for high quality beef. The animals have an ideal balance of fat and muscle for flavoursome and tender meat. They can also live off pasture, without cereal and soya feed. So the flavour of the beef all starts with the grass.
“Our Red Rubies are pasture reared” says Jonathan “They graze from April until November and eat haylage (half way between hay and silage) in winter. The fields are flower and herb rich with chicory, plantain, yarrow and clover that bring minerals from the soil. The pig and chicken industry relies on medication to keep the animals healthy, while commercial beef has been fed cereals and soya to fatten. All the natural goodness in our beef comes from the pasture. Pasture fed beef is lower in saturated fat and higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, CLA and vitamins B and E than cereal fed beef. And because the cows grow more slowly, and have a diverse diet, their meat has more depth of flavour.”
Wise animal management plays a big part.
“We use a mob grazing system” adds Jonathan, “which replicates natural movements. We rotate them around small paddocks. This gives the ground time to recover and make use of the manure. Only the plant tops get eaten, but that’s where all the energy is. The rest of the plant is trodden into the ground and adds more nutrients to the soil. It’s a more environmentally sustainable system, and roaming is good for the animals – they develop muscle, are less stressed, live longer and are more fertile. The beef we produce has a Pasture for Life certificate which guarantees that the cattle only eat pasture. You have to taste it to appreciate the difference! “