Zero-grazing, also referred to as ‘cut and carry’ or ‘green-chop’, is a feeding system where fresh grass is cut daily and fed to housed cows. Interest in zero-grazing has increased in recent years in temperate seasonal grass-based systems of milk production, particularly in spring and autumn. Optimising the proportion of grass utilized can increase profitability due to its lower cost compared with alternative feeds. Zero-grazing can potentially help achieve this, particularly where climatic and soil conditions limit grazing opportunities. However, there is a paucity of information on the impact of zero-grazing on cow performance. This study aimed to determine the effect of zero-grazing versus conventional grazing in early lactation on the performance of autumn-calved dairy cows. Twenty-four Holstein-Friesian cows were blocked on days in milk (28DIM ± 13), parity, predicted 305-d yield, and body condition score (BCS), and assigned to one of 2 treatments in a randomized complete block design (n = 12). The 2 treatments were; zero-grazing (ZG) and grazing (G). The diets were fed for a 14d acclimatization period and then for a further 35d. The ZG group were housed full-time and fed zero-grazed grass, while the G group grazed outdoors at pasture. Both treatment groups were offered ad libitum quantities of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) from within the same paddock. Average pre-grazing/pre-cutting yield was 2024 kg of DM/ha (±557) (>4cm). Both treatments received a daily buffer feed of 2.5 kg DM grass silage and 1.8 kg DM maize meal before milking and 7.2 kg DM concentrates in-parlor. Average milk yield in the ZG treatment (31.67 kg) did not significantly differ from the G treatment (30.54 kg) (P > 0.05). Likewise, method of offering pasture did not have an effect on milk composition or somatic cell count (P > 0.05). Furthermore, BCS, body weight, locomotion score, and rumen pH were not affected by treatment (P > 0.05). Results suggest that zero-grazing did not negatively impact cow performance and could be used as a means of utilizing grass in the diet where conventional grazing is not possible.