Slieve Donard, Mourne Mountains, County Down, NI. / National Trust Images, Joe Cornish
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The National Trust is working with John Maginn, a tenant farmer, to help restore nature in the Mournes using a small herd of Luing cattle.
A total of six animals have been fitted with GPS collars, allowing virtual fences to be created in order to target the grazing of areas of dominant purple moor-grass, which has sprung up following a major fire across 720 acres of the Mournes (close to Slieve Donard), in April 2021.
According to Kevin Duncan from the National Trust in NI, Luing cattle were chosen due to their docile nature and heritage from grazing marginal land on the west coast of Scotland.
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“This traditional breed of cattle isn’t a fussy browser and will chomp down rank grasses, like purple moor-grass, unlike sheep, which are more selective grazers.
Creating new habitat
“Cattle would have been much more common on uplands in days gone-by, and both cattle and sheep grazing at the right intensity are vital to ensuring a landscape rich in wildlife,” said Duncan.
By grazing down the moor-grass, it is hoped the cattle will provide space for native plants and heather to return, and for a habitat for wildlife to be created.
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The National Trust is working with John Maginn, a tenant farmer, to help restore nature in the Mournes using a small herd of Luing cattle.
A total of six animals have been fitted with GPS collars, allowing virtual fences to be created in order to target the grazing of areas of dominant purple moor-grass, which has sprung up following a major fire across 720 acres of the Mournes (close to Slieve Donard), in April 2021.
According to Kevin Duncan from the National Trust in NI, Luing cattle were chosen due to their docile nature and heritage from grazing marginal land on the west coast of Scotland.
“This traditional breed of cattle isn’t a fussy browser and will chomp down rank grasses, like purple moor-grass, unlike sheep, which are more selective grazers.
Creating new habitat
“Cattle would have been much more common on uplands in days gone-by, and both cattle and sheep grazing at the right intensity are vital to ensuring a landscape rich in wildlife,” said Duncan.
By grazing down the moor-grass, it is hoped the cattle will provide space for native plants and heather to return, and for a habitat for wildlife to be created.
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