UK farmers are discovering some new and interesting alternatives to traditional livestock as they seek more diverse ways to make a living.
Ostrich
Ostrich was first introduced to the UK in the late 1980’s, as a low fat alternative to beef, farms can now be found all over Britain. Ostrich produce includes leather, feathers and oil, as well as the meat – which is not only incredibly low in fat but also low in calories – as a red meat it’s great for steaks, frying and burgers.
Llama
Whilst llamas are not kept or bred for their meat – the llama is a popular livestock choice for farmers who are looking to cash in on the textile trade with the soft and naturally lanolin free wool. During the 1980’s in North America llamas were introduced to farms as livestock guards for herds such as sheep and goats and today in the UK farmers are also adopting this practice.
Water Buffalo
A number of UK farms in Hampshire have turned to Buffalo, as a unique alternative to both dairy and beef, producing and selling the meat, skins and cheese. Buffalo meat is tender and tasty, contains very little fat and has been proved to have very low cholesterol content – another healthy alternative to red meat.
Wild Boar
Wild boar became extinct in the UK over 700 years ago, but a recent reintroduction on private land has seen the species accidentally reintroduced into the wild once again – a very rare occurrence on our little isle. The meat has been described as ‘beef with crackling’; it has a sweet flavour with gamey undertones and is rosy in colour.
Crocodile
Whilst crocodile has been a fairly common part of the Australian and African diet for years, there’s just one crocodile farm in Europe and that is here in the UK. Located in Cambridgeshire the farm supplies both skin and meat, which has been likened to chicken and monkfish.
Kangaroo
Not just an alternative to traditional livestock, kangaroo farming is a pledge to fighting climate change as they don’t emit methane. Kangaroo farms are a rare occurrence in the UK but producers in the South East have found keen buyers of the meat, which is lean, low in fat, high in protein, and is perfect for use as steaks, minced meat and ‘kanga bangas’ (kangaroo sausages).