What the action involves
The aim of this supplemental action is that more than 80% of grazing livestock units (GLU) on sensitive grassland habitats are rare native breeds at risk livestock.
The purpose of this is to maintain or increase the number of rare native breeds at risk livestock.
What you must do
Your Natural England adviser will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.
To get paid for this action, you must:
- have more than 80% of the total GLU grazed by a registered pedigree or heritage semi-feral livestock breed on the land entered into the relevant base action
- have animals present and maintained on the holding to graze from the first grazing season and during subsequent grazing seasons graze grassland consistent with an agreed stocking calendar
- maintain a monthly record of stock grazing the land
You must use livestock that appear on the UK native breeds support (NBS) list in the ‘at risk’ category.
To convert livestock numbers into GLU, your Natural England adviser will decide on the appropriate value depending on the type and breed of livestock grazing the area. They may use the following values:
- cattle over 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 1.0 GLU
- cattle over 6 months to 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 0.6 GLU
- lowland ewe and lamb or ram – 0.12 GLU
- store lamb, hill ewe and lamb, or hogg or teg – 0.08 GLU
- goat – 0.12 GLU
- pony or donkey – 0.8 GLU
- horse – 1.0 GLU
- pig – 0.44
- poultry – 0.017
Lambs at foot do not have a separate GLU allocation, they are included in the figure for the ewe.
Native breeds will only be allowed where they’ll meet the aims of the base action and have been agreed by a Natural England adviser.
When to do it
You must do this action each year of its duration.
Evidence to keep
You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.
You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:
- field operations at a land parcel level
- associated invoices
- photographs
You must produce the following written records where applicable:
- a monthly record of grazing animals at the parcel level
- animal movement identification numbers for each eligible animal
- changes to the original documentation since the action’s start date, such as replacement animals
- the pedigree or heritage semi-feral registration number or birth notification number for each eligible animal (this information acts as proof of the breed’s registration, its animal provenance, parentage and availability)
The same action appears in the other schemes under a different code. The work is broadly the same; the rate and the length of the commitment are not.
Where you can do it
You can only do this supplemental action on eligible land that you’re grazing with livestock on the native breeds support (NBS) list in the ‘at risk’ category.
From 1 April 2026, the native breeds at risk (NBAR) list was replaced by the native breeds support (NBS) list. This change does not affect the eligibility of native breed livestock in existing Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreements.
You can do this supplemental action with any of the following CSHT base actions:
- CUP2: Manage rough grazing for birds
- CGS18: Manage species-rich floodplain meadows
- CGS26: Manage grassland with very low inputs
- CGS22: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland
- CGS20: Manage wet grassland for breeding waders
- CGS19: Manage wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl
- CGS21: Manage grassland for target habitats, species or features
- CHS7: Manage historic water meadows through traditional irrigation
- CBE4: Manage traditional orchards
- CBE5: Create traditional orchards
- CWD22: Manage wood pasture
- CWD21: Restore wood pasture and parkland
- CWD20: Create wood pasture
- CAGF4: Manage very low density in-field agroforestry on more sensitive land
- CAGF2: Manage low density in-field agroforestry on more sensitive land
- CAGF3: Manage medium density in-field agroforestry
- CAGF1: Manage high density in-field agroforestry
Your Natural England adviser will agree with you what other supplemental actions may be needed to meet the intended environmental outcomes. This could include:
- CGS16: Rush control supplement
- CGS23: Haymaking supplement
- CGS24: Haymaking supplement (late cut)
- CSP1: Difficult site supplement
- CSP11: Manage scrapes and gutters supplement
- CSP2: Rewetting supplement
- CSP3: Bracken control supplement
- CSP5: Shepherding supplement (non-moorland)
- CSP6: Cattle grazing supplement (non-moorland)
- CSP7: Introduction of cattle grazing on the Isles of Scilly supplement
- CSP9: Support for threatened species
- CSW26: Enhanced floodplain storage supplement
Eligible land
Same as base action.
Available area
Same or less than the base action.
Rotational or static
Same as base action.
Consents and permissions
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
- consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)
You may need to:
- agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other historic or archaeological features on your agreement land
- get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
All historic and archaeological features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).
If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.
Capital grants that support it
If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for funding through capital grants plans funding.
You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.
