Zero grazing route to maximising grass

摘要

Rather than extend the grazing season by letting the cows out onto grass earlier or later in the season, a family partnership in the Republic of Ireland have introduced zero grazing at the start and end of the growing season. Critics of extended grazing claim that the technique does not work for producers striving to achieve high levels of production with genetically superior cows. Such a generalisation, however, overlooks the fact that one of the top index herds in Ireland is currently recording average yields in excess of 7,800 litres/cow, at 3.88% fat and 3.35% protein, on a predominantly grass and forage-based regime.