Cattle tracked for agricultural research project

Northumberland National Park has fitted some of its cattle with Global Positioning System (GPS) units to track their movements.

The native luing cattle, which graze the slopes of Cheviot in the park's College Valley, are part of an agricultural research project being undertaken by scientists at Newcastle University.

GPS technology will enable the scientists to track the cattle's movements via satellite, to find out where and why they travel, and how this affects plants and wildlife.

The Cheviot area at the park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the research will bring understanding in order to manage livestock distribution for better conservation.

Mary Gough, farming advisor for Northumberland National Park Authority, said: "The results from this cattle tracking work will be linked to information on vegetation and wildlife distribution and abundance.

"This will help us gain a better understanding of how the cattle grazing influences the important habitats in the Cheviots and the wildlife they support. In future we hope to extend the work to tracking sheep as well as cattle."

The project is being supported and funded by Cheviot Futures, College Valley Estate and the Sir James Knott Trust, and facilitated by Northumberland National Park Authority.

Image courtesy of Northumberland National Park