Waitrose & Partners has announced it is reusing artificial grass sourced from some of the UK's top sporting institutions to develop 'cow tracks' for its dairy herds.
The group is using the material, sourced from all-weather football pitches and other sport-related activities, to develop dedicated pathways to lead cows to grazing fields.
All-Weather Qualities
The retailer said that the turf's grass-like and all-weather qualities provide 'soft, cushioned and dry walkways' which help reduce lameness in cows and also serves to clean their hooves.
"We’re always looking at ways to improve our animal welfare even further and are thrilled that our very own golden hooves are being treated to the same level of surface as some of the best sporting professionals in the world," said Duncan Sinclair, agriculture manager at Waitrose & Partners.
Waitrose & Partners' dairy cows graze for a minimum 120 days per year, which has earned the group the 'Good Dairy' award rom Compassion in World Farming.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
