This is a subscriber-only article
Dear Editor: My name is Cathal Geary and I am 11 years old. I live on a dairy farm in Co Limerick. I have one younger sister, Anna.
I go to school in Feenagh national school and I am in sixth class. I am writing to you about the benefits of zero grazing. Like some, our land is fragmented which means that the cows can’t get to some of the fields to graze them. Zero grazing is great as it helps to increase cow numbers in the herd and there is no waste because it cuts the grass right down to the stem.
We find on our farm that if the grass is good quality, it also produces better-quality milk.
Our zero grazer is a trailer with a mower in front of it. We hitch it on to the back of the tractor and go to the field. Our zero grazer moves out like a mower behind the tractor to cut the grass.
The grass goes through the grass box without being chopped (not like silage) and then pops out into the trailer. Once it is full, you bring it back to the farmyard and dump it in front of the barrier for the cows to eat. They love the grass.
Machinery is very important on the farm. It helps to do the jobs that humans can’t do but you still have to be safe. So making sure the handbrake is on when you get out of the tractor is very important.
My Dad is able to service most of the machinery because he was a mechanical engineer. He thinks it is important to make sure everything works properly on our farm. He always checks the machinery before putting them away. I love helping my Dad on the farm.
Be safe.
SHARING OPTIONS: