THE PROS AND CONS OF ZERO GRAZING

Zero grazers are machines that cut and collect grass in the pasture and take it to the livestock for feeding. This differs from the conventional approach of letting cattle graze the grass themselves.

Proponents of zero grazing claim that these machines can offer benefits, particularly during the shoulders of the grass growing season when the ground is soft and when grass demand is high but when grass growth might not meet demand.

Because poaching of whatever grass is available is eradicated, fans of the system say grass is more fully utilised (less flattening of grass by cattle etc) than with conventional grazing systems.

Downsides

But there are downsides too. Opponents of zero grazing claim it goes against the natural system of letting cattle graze outdoors, and can make cattle unfit from being indoors for too long.

A definite disadvantage is the added building and slurry storage requirements. If cattle are kept indoors for periods of the season longer than is normal, the farmer needs to ensure he has the infrastructure to support this approach. Extra volumes of slurry will need to be spread, as well as the daily job of actually going out to cut and collect grass. Extra machinery costs must be considered as well.

In terms of retail cost, zero grazers on sale in Ireland today start from as little as €15,000 depending on cubic capacity and spec. There are numerous suppliers and the market has become more and more competitive in the last 10 years.