A biodiversity project in the Burren, Co. Clare is combining ancient traditions with cutting-edge technology, all to keep livestock safe as they graze.

ReFarm Burren has provided roughly 15 local farmers with GPS collars that allow them to manage grazing zones virtually through a mobile app, thanks to investment from CIÉ Tours Sustainability Action Fund.

When livestock approach a virtual boundary, the collars emit musical tones to alert the animals, followed by a very mild electrical pulse if they continue.

The cattle quickly learn to respond to the music following initial training. This enables targeted, low-impact grazing without the need for physical fencing.

Winterage

Many local farmers graze cattle outdoors on winterages from October onwards. 

‘Winterage’ is the centuries old practice, closely associated with the Burren, whereby local farmers move their cattle to hilltop pastures - ‘winterages’ – where they forage and roam until spring.

Grazing cattle on the winterages ensures that the species-rich grass is grazed down to give the Burren’s flowers - such as gentians and orchids - the chance to bloom each year.  

The terrain of the Burren makes traditional fencing difficult and time-consuming.  

The musical ‘fences’ created by the solar-powered collars worn by the cattle, "gives farmers certainty as to the safety and location of their animals on what are often very remote, inaccessible holdings", according to CIÉ Tours.

Responsible tourism 

The Sustainable Action Fund is part of CIÉ Tours’ "commitment to responsible tourism, supporting the communities, cultures and natural environments to make travel meaningful for its guests".

ReFarm Burren is part of that mission, using smart technology to strengthen biodiversity, sustainable traditional farming, and preservation of cultural heritage in "one of Ireland’s most distinctive regions".

Stephen Cotter, managing director of CIÉ Tours said: “It’s hard not to smile when you hear about cows trained by music, but this is exactly the kind of forward-thinking, community-rooted project our Sustainability Action Fund was designed to support.

Tim O’Connell, who co-ordinates ReFarm Burren, said: “It’s the grazing that makes the Burren amazing.

“CIÉ Tours funding has allowed local farmers to graze their winterages more efficiently and effectively, helping future proof Burren habitats and farming systems.”

Developed in partnership with Trinity College Dublin, Burrenbeo Trust, and others, ReFarm is part of a growing national effort to promote “farming for nature” practices across Ireland.

To date, more than €1.5 million has been raised to support biodiversity initiatives such as wildlife ponds, hedgerows, woodlands, and research.