Mob grazing equipment Sondes Place Farm

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Sondes Place Farm applied for £23,242.36 to purchase 3,746m of permanent electric fencing to develop a new regime of mob grazing on a multi species ley.  The farm has 500 Angus x Dairy Beef Cattle which are reared from 3 weeks to 10 months of age.  The business produces a consistent beef carcase of exceptional eating quality with full traceability.

As a result of a Soil Association Exchange farm audit, the farm was determined to have an excellent emissions profile, running at two thirds below the UK average for beef production (7kg of CO2e per kg of beef produced vs a UK average of 22kg of CO2e per kg of beef).  Whilst this is good, the aim is to do even better and deliver additional benefits such as carbon storage, improved soil structure and soil health and further increase production.

Future goals are:

  • to continue to reduce the carbon footprint through a combination of good management and exceptional feed efficiency.
  • to further improve traceability by DNA tagging all calves at birth, setting a potential blueprint for the UK industry
  • to improve greatly the daily live weight gain from existing grazing

A tractor mounted under-fence mower was also purchased to help maintain grass levels and prevent the electric circuit from blowing constantly.

Project summary

Total grant awarded £23,242.36
Total cost of project: 23/24- £ 10772.68 & 24/25- £12,469.68
Project start date: 12/01/2024
Project end date: Ongoing
Location Dorking