Nationwide effort to track and count wild deer

There is currently no national coordination in the collection of deer data

First results from Smartdeer Ireland are expected to be delivered by the end of 2021. File Picture: Don MacMonagle

Herds of stray deer feasting on grass intended for dairy and beef cattle are a common sight nationwide and infuriating for farmers who depend on pasture for profitable production.

Just how important the grass is for farmers is summed up by a Teagasc estimate that if grass utilised by livestock were to be increased by one tonne of dry matter (equal to about six tonnes of growing grass) per hectare per year, the benefit to dairy farmers would be €181/ha, and €105/ha to drystock farmers.