There’s been an explosion in sales of zero-grazing machines as farmers look for ways to avoid being caught out by disastrous grazing conditions.

 

“We just can’t keep them made. We’ve taken on extra staff, the factory is still flat out, and we’ve enough machines forward sold to keep us going for months, so business is booming,” admitted Cavan-based zero-grazer manufacturer, Niall O’Reilly.

He expects his sales to double this year to 60 machines, including two into England.

Meanwhile, Offaly machinery manufacturer, Belmac, is experiencing a similar jump in demand.

“We’re heading for a doubling of sales, with a lot of interest from Northern Ireland and Britain,” said Belmac owner, Michael Gavin.

Mr Gavin said that the attitude of the agricultural research institutions was also softening towards the machine, with enquiries from Waterford Institute of Technology about establishing trials to assess their benefits.

There are now over 300 zero-grazing machines in operation on Irish farms and two Belmac models were exported to New Zealand in March.

“Our workforce has increased by a third so far this year, which is great for the area here,” said Mr Gavin.

His company, which also manufactures traditional machinery lines such as manure spreaders, only perfected its first zero-grazer in 2010.

Since then the machine has become its most important sales line.

 

(Source – Irish Independent – Darragh mc Cullough & Caitriona Murphy – 04/06/2013)

 

 

The Concept of Zero Grazing:

Dairy farmers who find themselves curtailed by farm fragmentation or difficult grazing periods are finding that the machine known as the Zero Grazer is solving the problems and many more on dairy farms throughout the country. Although having existed on the continent for many years the machine or concept never featured on Irish farms. Now with the clear benefits of zero grazing realised the future of the Zero Grazer is set to become common practise in Irish dairy farming.

Like many ideas this formation was born out of necessity. Farm fragmentation is most limiting factor on Irish dairy farms. The logistical nightmare of walking cows or crossing cows on busy roads is a major stumbling block as farmers try to expand cow numbers or increase efficiency by getting cows to grass for longer periods of the year. Research continues to show that increasing the percentage of grass in a cow’s diet reduces costs and adds to profitability.

The concept zero grazing is cutting grass and taking it to the animals, rather than the animals walking the distance to graze the grass. This would solve farm fragmentation if distances were too far to walk, but nothing existed to carry out cutting and transport of the grass efficiently until now.

Farm fragmentation will be the most common factor linking all farmers who purchase the machine but the real advantages of having a Zero Grazer is Ireland’s ability to grow grass. Increasing the percentage of grass in a cow’s diet has many benefits.

 

For more information Check Out: www.zerograzing.ie/about-us