Chester Zoo produces around 25% of the fodder required by their animals (giraffes, Congo buffalo, elephants, okapi and zebras) from Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow. Since 2018, the Zoo has planted nearly 16 hectares of willow on nearby farmland that they own. The willow is harvested up to two times a year (between March and October) and fed to the animals along with locally sourced arboricultural arisings (shredded stems, branches and leaves). Willow fodder is favoured food for many of the animals, is good for them and reduces the risk of these important herbivores being fed toxic plants. The supply chain for producing, processing, delivering the browse and removing the waste material and processing it into compost is very complex and costly but enables a closed loop system. The Chester Zoo browse team are learning all the time and in the future are aiming to streamline the process and cut costs.
Read the full case study here: Chester Zoo: Fodder production from Short Rotation Coppice willows
