Developing TechnoGrazing beef systems in England

摘要

TechnoGrazing systems use bespoke electric fencing and water equipment to divide an area of land into precisely defined lanes. These are sub-divided into cells to create a grazing rotation, the length of which can be quickly adjusted to suit requirements while maintaining access to water. Two TechnoGrazing systems were designed and installed by Precision Grazing Ltd on two beef farms near the Cornwall/ Devon border in the south west of England. System size ranged from 4.77 to 6.47 ha covering a mixture of soil and pasture types. Set-up cost varied from ￡276 to ￡420 per hectare including design, equipment, installation and training. The two farms involved in the trial grew 21.7 t and 13.3 t DM ha~(-1) with a utilisation rate of 74 and 86% respectively, calculated by Farmax Performance Monitoring tool. The amount of dry matter (DM) produced per year on a typical English beef farm using set-stocking is estimated by AHDB at 8.5 t DM ha~(-1) with 50% being utilised. The TechnoGrazing systems grew 56 to 250% more DM due to improved grazing management. Having the correct stocking density meant the animals were able to consume the surplus grass which is normally wasted, which led to higher utilisation.