About Us

Overview and philosophy

Frith Manor Farm is located on the Kent, Surrey and Sussex borders, approximately equidistant at 30 miles from both Marble Arch in London and the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

The fold was established in 2003 to concentrate on the development of a prime quality pedigree fold that is commercially viable both from the sale of breeding females and high quality beef beasts.   The foundation stock has been carefully sourced from some of the leading and best regarded breeders in the UK (primarily from Scotland). The aim through a carefully monitored programme is to breed a type of Highland that retains all the traditional breed characteristics with excellent calf rearing and growth rate properties. The theory is that if we can produce excellent quality breeding females then the beef beasts should also be super. That is the theory but it unfortunately takes at least 15 years until it can start to be proved!

Husbandry

All our beasts live outside throughout the year. Given the warmer climes in the South of England, it seems that the Highlands only look truely at home during a cold snap or prolonged harsh winter!

The grazing is typically old pasture and because the soil is of marginal cultivable quality (lower grade three), the yield is well suited to the animals since it is not too rich. Home produced hay is gathered and stored in small bales over the summer to supplement winter feeding (approximately half a bale per head per day from December to March, according to the vagaries of the weather) and also promote natural pasture re-seeding.   Feeding is supplemented with a grower nut or sugar-beat, barley, maize, soya and mineral mix rolled for us on demand by an excellent local dairy farmer.

Calves are creep fed when they are on the mother to boost their initial growth in the formative months with weaning happening en bloc during October.  This is possible due to the traditional spring calving pattern which is adopted so that the new bairns arrive when nature can offer them the best natural boost from kinder weather and fresh grass.

Weedkilling, pesticides and fertilizers are kept to a minimum since the overall aim of Frith is traditional production or traditional beasts by traditional means.  Clearly some chemical assistance is required but everything is measured and controlled to deliver the best economic and environmental results.