José Berry is looking for land for his cows

José Berry has been raising cows on Saint-Barthélemy for over thirty years. He is the last Saint-Barth to own a herd on the island, on a plot of land in Grand Fond and another in Pointe Milou. This activity could come to an end in the near future, due to a lack of space to graze his animals.
In fact, the new owner of the Grand Fond land on which some of his thirteen cows graze wants to reclaim his plots. José Berry is therefore launching an appeal to find another place where he can group his herd. "We need to be able to get there by car to bring in water," explains the enthusiastic breeder who feeds his animals by collecting unsold fruit and vegetables from one of the island's supermarkets. For me, it's a heritage," he explains. It would be a shame to have to part with them. "Because if he can't find a solution, José Berry will have no choice but to send his cattle to Saint-Martin. Even his latest arrival, Marcus, a calf delivered by his mother on Sunday September 10. In privacy," says José Berry. They like to hide, to go into the zion to give birth. We find them afterwards, with their calf. "
For some of Saint-Barth's young people, the disappearance of the last breeding farm will also be a loss. For, as José Berry reminds us, parents and their children come almost every weekend to watch the horned beasts in their meadow. "Sometimes I take the children in my arms so they can touch the cows", he smiles, evoking the pleasure he still gets from looking after his herd on a daily basis. A pleasure he likes to share.
In the past, José Berry has owned up to 39 head of cattle. Before him, from the 1940s to the 1970s, cows raised in Grand Fond, Saline and other areas were exported to Guadeloupe. There was even a "municipal slaughterhouse" in Gustavia. In 2018, faced with the growing hostility of some local residents towards his cows, who didn't hesitate to climb over fences to enjoy a stroll on the public highway or in gardens, José Berry had already considered hanging up his business. This time, however, he may be forced to turn the page on livestock farming in Saint-Barthélemy for lack of land.