Virtual shepherds have begun herding cows in the fields of Britain, scaring away the cows not with electricity, but with music, online publication TopAgrar reports on June 6.
Blue Carbon Farm in Stuart, Somerset, has partnered with the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust to provide livestock grazing on wetlands and marshes for the first time in 30 years.
These areas were previously thought to be too dangerous for grazing due to the difficult terrain and proximity to the sea, but farmers have begun using the NoFence app and collar to track the location of cows and warn them of danger.
The virtual shepherd must warn the animals if they approach an invisible line beyond which they cannot pass. Some farmers monitor cows in pastures using a GPS device that plays the song Waltzing Matilda when they get too close to a virtual fence.
Musical alerts allow farmers to track their flocks using an app in a unique program developed with an environmental charity. The innovation is also expected to benefit wetlands and marshes: grazing natural plants and grasses stimulates root growth, which draws carbon into the soil. The droppings also provide nutrients to grass and plants and provide habitat for insects.
The area is managed by a fund that determines in which seasons and in which areas farmers can graze their livestock. Grazing takes place from April to October. Thanks to the devices, bird nesting places are protected.
The company says customer response has been “really positive”and believes that its development is “an exciting step forward”. “Livestock is considered not to be very environmentally friendly, so we are trying to show what can be done with grazing.”said Andy Darch, one of the owners of Blue Carbon Farm.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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