City hires sheep to mow lawns

TURIN, Italy, April 3 (UPI) -- The city of Turin, Italy, said it has found a way to save money on landscaping at city parks -- officials recruited two herds of sheep to eat the grass.

The first of the two herds began feasting on the grass Thursday at Meisino Park and the second is scheduled to begin grazing Monday at Sangone Park, ANSA reported.

City officials said the sheep, which were also employed to trim park lawns last year, are expected to save the city nearly $50,000 in lawn-mowing fees.

''I came here last year as well and it worked out really well. The city saved money and kept the park clean, while I saved money by not having to rent fields to graze my sheep,'' shepherd Federico Tombolato, who owns one of the herds, told ANSA.

The sheep are scheduled to graze in city parks for two months.

In 2007, the city began using sheep to trim city park lawns and attempted to use cattle at one park. However, the city concluded that using cattle was less practical due to the amount of waste they produce, ANSA said.