Isle of Man grass fed scheme

What is grass fed?

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Grass fed cows are allowed to graze in the lush fields of the Isle of Man for an average of 230 days a year with at least 70% of their diet being made up of fresh or dried grass throughout the year.

Grass fed farming makes happier cows and healthier milk!

Why is grass fed important?

  • A cow's stomach is pH neutral, a perfect environment for digesting grass and fibrous plants. By utilizing grass feeding protocols, we are creating a healthy digestive environment for our cows to thrive, resulting in great tasting milk.
  • Grass fed milk contains more favourable omega-3 fatty acid which is beneficial for heart health.
  • Grass fed cows are allowed more time to roam and graze in the open pastures which improves overall animal welfare.

What are the Isle of Man Grass Fed Scheme standards?

Grazing days - We commit to the Islands herd having access to pasture for an average of more than 200 days per year

The grass content (including dried grass) of the Island's herd's diet shall be more than 70% across the whole year and greater than 80% from April - September.

All the Island's dairy farms shall conform to the Red Tractor Dairy Farm Assurance Scheme to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare.

How is the Isle of Man Grass Fed Scheme audited and enforced?

The scheme is managed by the Isle of Man Government Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, which holds the right to approve the use of the scheme logo based on conformance to the standards set.

Information is gathered from the farms monthly and an audit of the overall data and each farmer's participation in the scheme is carried out annually by an independent auditor (SAI Global) at the same time as their Red Tractor Dairy Farm Assurance Audit.

If conformance is achieved, the Isle of Man Government will confirm approval for the continued use of the logo for the following 12 months.

What's special about the Isle of Man Grass Fed Scheme?

The prerequisite number of grazing days in the Isle of Man Grass Fed Scheme sits some way above even the highest comparable schemes in the UK - 200 days per year in the Isle of Man compared to 180 in the UK.

The Scheme commits the Island's farmers to ensuring that at least 70% of the cows' diet is fresh or preserved grass. In reality this rises to above 80% in summer. Comparable UK schemes set a standard of 50%.

Our scheme is Government accredited and audited by SAI Global.

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