Cattle and Sheep

Organic beef, lamb and wool are produced from a 100% grass based grazing system. Permanent pastures of herb rich mixtures produce naturally reared animals of high eating quality. The farm operates to organic principles, serving mainly local, premium markets.

Sussex Cattle

The Montague Herd of pure Sussex cattle has recently been established. Characterised by their deep red colour, these animals have an ancient association with the Sussex countryside. Compact and hardy, they thrive in our marshlands. They live in extensive cattle sheds in the winter, fed home produced cut silage, hay and haylage, producing calves in the early spring before being turned onto the remoter parts of the marsh for the summer. There they graze in a pattern designed to accentuate wildlife habitats as well as leave nibbled off pastures where the sheep can later find a living from the shortened swards. Nearly 200 head of cattle are kept through the summer.

The Romney Flock

Montague runs a closed flock of pure Romney ewes. Selection of home bred stock has generated sheep resilient to the many biological and physical challenges of the enriched landscape as well as protecting from outside diseases. Our handsome ewes are a strong traditional type of Romney with rams bought in from the best breeders in the region. A good balance of physique, hardy performance and eating quality has been achieved.

Living all year round on the grassland, lambs are born outside in early spring. Ewes are left to look after themselves, ease of lambing being achieved through the breeding policy, the careful husbanding of the grazing and natural shelter of the fields where they give birth. Lambs are up and away quickly, free from interference and getting a good start at this vulnerable period.

Lambs fatten naturally from a grass only diet, achieving high quality carcasses popular with our butcher customers. Half the lambs will be pure Romney, the other half being sired by Charollais or Charollais X Texel rams. Differing growth rates between the types enable the farm to supply lambs all year round.