The collars enable Ulster Wildlife to guide cattle into carefully chosen areas of this 258-hectare Area of Special Scientific Interest where grazing is most needed, all carefully mapped out and controlled via an app.
The collars work by emitting audio signals to move the herd. If the animal ignores the signal and gets too close to the boundary, a small electrical pulse is emitted to get them back on track.
Conservation grazing is an invaluable tool in helping to restore and manage sensitive habitats, such as flower-rich grasslands, and enabling wildlife to flourish.
This new technology is a game-changer in helping to restore parts of Slievenacloy Nature Reserve. The collars encourage the cattle to work harder for us as we can guide them into areas of rank vegetation that aren’t as palatable but which are in need of a bit of extra TLC
“This new technology is a game-changer in helping to restore parts of Slievenacloy Nature Reserve,” said Andy Crory, Nature Reserves Manager with Ulster Wildlife.
“The collars encourage the cattle to work harder for us as we can guide them into areas of rank vegetation that aren’t as palatable but which are in need of a bit of extra TLC in the form of extra grazing.
“Already, the cattle have started to open up the grassland and increase the diversity of the habitat by making space for a greater variety of wildflowers, such as orchids. Grassland management through grazing provides all the things that the birds, butterflies, moths, and lizards that make Slievenacloy special, need to thrive.”
