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You are > Home > Satellites keep watch on Mayo sheep habits
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Wednesday, April 16, 2003
Satellites keep watch on Mayo sheep habits
By: Michael Gallagher
MILITARY satellites have now turned their attention to sheep grazing on the Leenane Mountains in a project which may have a large bearing on future farming habits in Mayo and Galway.
The satellites are being used to record the movements and eating habits of the sheep in an effort to study the effects of over grazing and soil erosion in the west of Ireland.
The data will allow scientists to establish why certain sheep go to specific parts of the hill and eat it almost bare but leave other areas untouched.
Twenty sheep have been fitted with transmitters in a pilot programme run by Teagasc at the 500-acre Leenane mountain sheep farm. Data from the transmitters will be picked up by the Global Positioning System and beamed to a laboratory in Athenry where scientists will interpret it.
More than 200,000 sheep have already been removed from the hills along the western seaboard in controversial attempts to halt soil erosion. The current project is attempting to protect the hills without removing any more sheep, a move that is welcomed by Louisburgh IFA chairman Austin Francis O’Malley.
“There has been more than enough destocking. The government went over the top and now the heather is growing wild on the hillsides. This is no good for environment and a balance must be found. Maybe this project is a good idea, I don’t know much about it but hopefully it will help the farmers who are to the pin of their collar at the moment.”
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