Our Animals
Moylinny Farm raises Hereford cattle. Hereford are an ancient English breed from Herefordshire, known for their distinctive red colouring, white faces, and interesting horns.  The cows and calves at Moylinny embody the best qualities of the Hereford breed. They have a docile temperament, which makes them easy to handle and reduces the stress experienced during shipping and marketing. Less stress means better quality meat. Moylinny’s cows and calves are extremely adaptable to our ever changing Canadian weather conditions.  They thrive on grassland, with a wonderful ability to gain weight on pasture alone. Our animals gain outstanding condition during the spring and summer grazing months, converting the grass to a natural, delicious marbled meat that has a superior taste. In winter, they are able to sustain themselves very well with the hay we grow, cut and bale ourselves. 

Our animals live as cattle were designed to live:  as free-range grazers. They are never crowded into pens or buildings for feeding, but are allowed to forage outdoors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 200 acres of excellent quality grass in the spring, summer, and fall, and excellent quality hay in the winter. The pastures also contain dozens of acres of cedar bush and mixed wooded areas, which the cattle use for shelter from insects and harsh weather. They have access to fresh water via water troughs and natural drinking holes. Free choice minerals and salt licks are available. The cattle receive yearly preventative veterinary attention, including deworming and vaccination. They do not receive growth hormones or antibiotics.    

We breed and raise all the beef we sell. We maintain a “mother herd” of 20 – 25 cows who are either pregnant or with calves at foot. The mothers are bred the old fashioned way, by live cover with a Blue Paper pedigreed Hereford bull of tested genetic superiority. Our mothers display characteristic Hereford longevity. We have several herd matriarchs in their twenties who are in fabulous condition, but have been retired from the breeding herd. Our current breeding mothers range in age from 3 to 9 years old.  We also have a “youngster herd,” comprised of weaned calves, yearlings, and heifers too young to breed. The beef that we sell comes from the youngster herd. Occasionally we sell young heifers as breeding stock to local farmers. The herds are kept separate in order to manage the available pasture and to ensure that no young animals are accidentally bred. Our herds are closed, which means we do not buy cattle from sale barns or other farmers; because of this, our animals are not exposed to outside disease or parasites.  The pastures and hay are fertilized using cattle and horse manure, no herbicides or pesticides are used. Weeds are managed by using a “bush hog” cutter and by cutting and pulling them by hand. It is more labour intensive, but the results are worth it.

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