Happy Birthday Bluebell!
Brill Parish Council would like to wish Bluebell, one of the seven Dexter cows grazing Brill Common, a very happy 21st birthday.
Bluebell’s tenure on Brill Common goes right back to the very beginnings of the now renowned - and royally recognised! - Brill Village Community Herd. Bluebell arrived in 2007 with a calf at foot and, along with another cow and youngster, spearheaded a trial gaze of the common. The success of this trail led to the formation of the BVCH Society in 2011 with huge support from the village - and the rest, as they say, is history.
Twenty-one years is a good age for a cow and we like to think that her carefree lifestyle has contributed to her longevity. Bluebell has had two calves; the second one, Rose, was born on the common and still grazes there today. Once a cow joins the herd she remains for life; social knowledge gained by the older cows passes to the younger members, thus ensuring the integrity of the herd.
Dexters are the smallest native breed in the British Isles. They are exceptionally hardy and ideally suited to conservation grazing. The Brill herd stays out year-round and all animals are in excellent health, although Bluebell is beginning to show signs of her advanced years. The ages of the rest of the group are between seven and sixteen and the Society is looking to purchase new, younger stock to bring the herd up to full strength.
Conservation grazing creates vegetation at different heights and small areas of bare ground. This habitat diversity supports a wide range of wildlife and allows wildflowers to flower and set seed each year. The Brill cows graze within temporary paddocks ringed by electric fences moved at intervals to avoid overgrazing and allow new grass and wildflowers to establish. Read more about conservation grazing in this report on the management of Brill Common (BBOWT Land Advice Service, 2022).
Brill Village Community Herd Society is open to everyone to join. Although the herd is overseen by a professional warden, volunteers play an important role - as acknowledged by the Society’s proud acceptance of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2023. Find out how to join the Society and help look after the herd on the BVCH website.
