Evaluation of sheep and goats breeding system and the subsidies paid in Askos village community of Lagadas county, Prefecture of Thessaloniki
The purpose of this research was to investigate the breeding system of sheep and goats in the village community of Askos, in Lagadas county, Thessaloniki Prefecture with special emphasis on the subsidies that the farmers received for their animals. In the study area there were 24 exploitations of sheep and goats with more than 10.000 animals. Most of the flocks didn’t move during the year, but half of goat herds moved to the uplands within the territory of the village during the summer period. The breeding system of sheep and goats was based on the utilisation of rangelands during the whole year, artificial pastures during spring, cereal stubble during summer, and on the extensive use of feedstuffs (0.5-1.9 kg/animal/day). The mean distance travel of goats during spring and summer was greater (10.1 and 12.7 km/day) than that of sheep (6.1 and 8.5 km/day) respectively. Feedstuffs resulted in high milk production (0.6 kg/goat/day and 0.5 kg/sheep/day). The farmers received two kinds of subsidies for their animals, exisotiki and a prim per head of eligible animals. The sum of the latter two, in average for each adult animal was found to be 30.7 €.
Habitat use by cattle, feral horses, hares, and geese in Evros Delta
Terrestrial rangelands in Evros Delta are commonly grazed by cattle, feral horses, hares and geese. This area is dominated by two vegetation communities, halophyte and grass-forb, forming a temporal dynamic mosaic due to many involved factors such as the presence and the quality of the water, the salinity level etc. The use of these communities by the said herbivores was estimated during the wintering period 2007-2008 using the pellet counts method. All herbivores used more intensively the grass-forb sites compared to halophytic sites. Conclusively, great overlap in habitat use by all herbivores was observed, indicating that there is elevated potential for habitat competition and maybe for the food since the herbivores used these sites as feeding places. The common use of grass-forb sites by the herbivores makes their coexistence in doubt, especially in cases where grazing intensity exceeds the threshold of proper use. However, grazing reduces the quantity of aboveground biomass and affects the composition and the structure of vegetation communities, which under proper management may favour vulnerable animal species such as hares and geese (e.g. protection against natural enemies).The multiple use of terrestrial rangelands in Evros Delta by cattle, feral horses, hares and geese, except of the particular importance for the stability of ecosystems and conservation of the biodiversity, is also expected to maximize the productivity of these rangelands.
Livestock and mountainous agriculture in NE part of Trikala Prefecture
The primary production sector constitutes main economic and social growth lever at the mountainous and unfavourable regions. The extensive livestock production, contrary to the stabling livestock production of lowland regions, depends on the existence of rangelands and is considered as a compatible activity with the conservation of natural environment. The aim of this study was to determine homogeneous areas of agricultural-pastoral activities in the semi-mountainous and mountainous area of northeasten part of prefecture Trikala, which is covered by nine Municipalities (Vasiliki, Estiaiotida, Kalampaka, Oixalia, Palaiokastrou, Paralithaion, Pelinnaion, Timphaion and Chasion). The similarity of above Municipalities was estimated based on the indicators altitude, area of veterinary plants and the cereals, livestock, the pastureland area and rangeland area, and finally the grazing pressure. The results showed that: (1) altitude is the main factor determining the grouping of municipalities, (2) the rangeland area and the cultivation of cereals differentiate the municipal villages, (3) the high grazing pressure of rangelands demands suitable administrative measures for the pastureland improvement and increase of mountainous agriculture contribution in the sustainable livestock production.
From range condition to rangeland health: new perspectives in the qualitative assessment of mediterranean grasslands
The qualitative assessment of the rangelands has been and still is one of the greatest challenges of Rangeland Science. As a result, efforts were made in the USA to explore the scientific means, theoretical and technical ones, to assess and classify rangelands into qualitative classes. In this way, managers are provided with a valuable tool to plan their actions, i.e. to temporally and spatially monitor and sustain range resources. This research aims at: i) introducing the concept of rangeland health in the Greek rangeland practice, as an evolution of the concept of the range condition, ii) defining the particular characteristics that must be taken into account for Mediterranean rangelands, and iii) to introduce a novel methodology in rangeland health assessment that will include these characteristics. The new approach was applied in the qualitative assessment and classification of grasslands in Lagadas county. It was found that four grasslands were in good, three in medium, and one in bad rangeland health.
Production and nutritional quality of woody species in rangelands in Lagadas county of Thessaloniki prefecture
Woody plants play an important role to rural animals’ nutrition mainly in the summer period. The aim of this study was to study the production and nutritive value of the woody species that are present in shrublands of Lagadas county in Thessaloniki prefecture. In each of these woody species canopy cover, maximum and mean height and above ground biomass were measured. Moreover, the crude protein content (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber and lignin (ΑDF and ADL), as well as the in tro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were determined. It was found that Quercus coccifera and Quercus pubescens were the dominant species with annual forage production 3200 και 1990 kg/ha respectively. Rosa canina, however had better nutritive value (CP: 7.8%, NDF: 36.2%, ADL: 7.6 and IVOMD: 55.9 %) than the other woody species.
