For years now at Saraya Europe in France, we use sheep to mow the grass at the factory!
It is the ecological technique of maintenance of green spaces using the grazing of herbivores, thus limiting the use of machines and weed killers. Eco-grazing allows for the maintenance of a variety of wild habitats and promotes biodiversity, especially amongst breeds that are seen as having little value. Lately, eco-grazing has gained in popularity for the benefits it can bring to farmers, animals, and the land. It is a great alternative solution to keep the environment safe and clean for all of us.
A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Eco-grazing is positive for the environment in several ways:
- It encourages biodiversity and enriches the soil.
- It eliminates the use of oil and fuel for mechanical equipment, as well as the use of weed killers and other phytosanitary products.
- It reduces noise pollution.
- It uses hardy breeds of animals with very small numbers, which thus find a way to halt the decline in their numbers and even to develop.
- It is less dangerous because animals have easier access to steep areas that can be a source of risk for contractors, and municipal or private employees who maintain the areas.
And the benefits don’t stop with sustainability: on average, eco-grazing costs 30% less than conventional methods!
ECO-GRAZING AT SARAYA EUROPE
At Saraya Europe in Velaines in the Meuse region, we have been using sheep for 5 years. The sheep are parked in an enclosure and moved according to the development of the flora in the spaces to be maintained. The area is equipped with a watering place, a salt stone and a fence. There is no need for shelter because of the hardiness of the sheep. When the vegetation is not sufficient for the sheep, they return to their sheepfold.