SMALL RUMINANTS AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE OUR EXPERIENCE
Kompan, Drago
Habe, Franc
Pogacnik, Milan
Juntes, Polona
Biotechnical Faculty,
University of Ljubjana, Domzale
Veterinary faculty,
University of Ljubjana, Ljubljana
Vidrih, T.
Kotar, M.
Biotechnical Faculty,
University of Ljubjana, Ljubljana
Slovenia
———————————————————————————————————————————————
ABSTRACT
In the last few years a lot of work has been done on the developmental research project "Recultivation of
abandoned hilly karst land with environment friendly technologies for breeding and health protection of animals"
which takes place on the mountain Vremščica above Divača. This project is financially supported by The Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Food, and The Ministry of Science and Technology and is a constitutive part of the
research programme "Earth". Efforts of different professions - agronomy, animal husbandry, forestry, veterinary
medicine, food technology and economy - are linked to achieve the aims of this project. The Developmental Research
Centre Vremščica, together with Pasture Community Vremščica II, is located on approximately 400 hectares of hilly
pastures, at the altitude of 800 to 1 000 m. Basic aims of this centre are recultivation and prevention of continuous
overgrowing of the land, improvement of the grass sward, formation of silvopastoral systems, usage of autochthonous
breeds as a tool for recultivation, testing of various modes for the exploitation of the land, analysis of physiological,
genetic and production parameters in animals, improvement of economical efficacy of animal breeding and
production, and establishment of economically acceptable and effective health programmes for animals.
———————————————————————————————————————————————
INTRODUCTION
For the last few years work has been proceeding on the developmental research programme
"Recultivation of Abandoned Hilly Karst Land with Environment Friendly Technologies for
Breeding and Health Protection of Animals", which takes place on the mountain Vremščica and is
financially supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food. It combines research
work of many scientific disciplines. Research results of different disciplines are linked in the
project. Grazing and agrostology are part of agronomy, sheep and goat breeding, selection and
productivity belong to animal husbandry. Physiological and pathological parameters of health as
well as effects of diseases on health of people and animals, and effects of diseases on economy of
animal production are studied by veterinary medicine. Study of growth rings belongs to forestry,
335
and milk processing and quality of meat are part of the food processing industry. Agro-political
effects of environmental control, multifunctional aspects of agriculture on the karst and hilly
lands and some macro-economic analyses set to agrarian economy.
FOUNDATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH CENTRE
Economical efficacy of agricultural production is shown in natural, social and economic
conditions that are not favourable to agricultural activities. When there are no more resources to
support agriculture, lands are abandoned and production omitted, which result in migration. The
mentioned processes are most evident in the hilly and Karst regions of our country, where the
natural conditions are not favourable to agriculture, so the idea for the foundation of the
Developmental Research Centre on the mountain Vremščica was born. The main objective of the
Centre is to affirm knowledge and skills that are necessary to use and maintain agricultural
activities on those areas. Planned research, technological and educational activities of the Centre
will contribute to solve problems of abandoned karst and hilly areas and to support agricultural
production in the hilly and karst regions as well as to promote recent foreign and domestic
research results.
Social and economic changes in the last 50 years have changed the way of living as well as
most people's activities and values. The most stricken were agricultural lands in the marginal
areas that are not very suitable for agricultural production. Spacious meadows and pastures have
remained uncultivated. The most evident example of such process is Slovene Karst where more
than 30 000 ha of agricultural lands have been overgrown, and the process has not finished yet.
In Slovenia nearly 300 000 ha of pastures are endangered. The landscape has been losing its
diversity, vicissitude of plants, wood fires are frequent, climate is changing (moisture) and lands
are impervious and hostile due to abundant shrubs. The number of small ruminants has been
diminished ten times in the last hundred years in Slovenia, and the reason is migrations. Karst
was one of the essential problems in the previous centuries owing to disappearing forests, but
today nearly 50 percent of the area are forests. In the previous century every hectare of the forest
was very precious while now, on the contrary, every hectare of land that is saved from
overgrowing is even more precious. The more forests and abandoned meadows there are, the
more imminent danger of fires that can spread over huge areas exists. Unfortunately the areas are
impervious to fire brigades.
Farming should be the most important aspect of planning, maintenance and formation of
environment. Unfortunately modest, steep and endangered areas like hilly areas and karst are not
financially attractive since people can earn their living in the other sectors. Our main objective is
to enable agricultural activities on those areas that are not very suitable for agriculture but which
will help to keep our country stable and attractive. On that area food can be produced in a
sustainable way and vast areas will be cultivated again. People who will live there or occasional
visitors will feel good.
336
DESCRIPTION AND AIMS OF THE CENTRE
The Developmental Research Centre Vremščica and Pasture Community Vremščica II are
spread out on about 400 ha of mountainous pastures at an altitude between 800 and 1 000 m. At
the moment about 20 ha of pastures are used for research work. Those pastures are fenced by
electrical wires and equipped with water systems for animals.
Research and developmental areas on mountain Vremščica. Trial areas are marked as Pasture 1
(3 ha), Pasture 2 (4.5 ha), Pasture 3 (12 ha), Pasture 5 (4.5 ha) and Pasture 6 (11 ha). Trials are
performed on Pastures 1, 2 and 3.
The aims of the Centre are to promote environment friendly technologies of animal husbandry,
especially goat and sheep breeding. The Centre provides research on the hilly and karst areas but
the research results will be useful for all farmers that graze their animals. Methodological and
empirical approach to data collection enables study of systems. Using small ruminants to improve
the sward and using the animals as a tool for environment control have already proven to be a
suitable mode of friendly area usage. Using small ruminants to re-cultivate overgrown areas is
certainly a friendly way of using karst and hilly areas. Nevertheless, the project is manifold and
requires continual support and study.
CONTENT AND AIMS OF CENTRE'S RESEARCH
The project work on Vremščica has been divided into two phases. In the first phase 7.5 ha of
pastures were cultivated and fenced and we divided them into sections. In the next phase 20-30 ha
of areas were fenced and divided into 15 to 20 sections. Animals on pasture have been attended.
Before the trials the original structure of sward and plants was observed on the trial areas, soil
was analysed, on some sections shrubs were cleaned, and trees were planted as well as animals
purchased and selected and their health conditions monitored. We would like to present some
studies that are in progress on Vremščica.
Grazing and agrostology
Sward management is examined in few studies. Fertilization, lime addition, sowing of various
kinds of legumes, grasses and herbs to improve the composition of sward and to supply the
animals with nutritive and mineral matters make up part of those studies. At the same time
productive ability of sward is examined. We study the effects of various modes of grazing on
botanical composition of sward and on nutritive value of biomass as well as on production
changes and stability of pastures. The aim of the Centre is to study divers modes of recultivation
of the overgrown areas by grazing and to study the effects of different ways of breeding on
production and health conditions of animals.
Silvopastoral system and growth rings
Silvicultural studies are very important because abandoned agricultural areas are being
overgrown by forest vegetation that is an essential compound of hilly Karst pastures. The balance
337
between pastures and forests is an important part of a silvicultural system. We study trees on the
overgrown areas, wood and total biomass as well as their gain. The aim of the study is to
determine which trees can be planted on karst. One of the most important aims of the project is to
prevent the overgrowing of pastures. Recultivation of pasture areas by clearing shrubs and trees is
of fundamental importance.
Hydrology
Hydrological research and permeability of karst as well as water supply are studied. Two
accumulation ditches have been constructed to supply water. Ditches were constructed in order to
compare various materials, technologies and technical solutions for construction. Sheep are
supplied with water from those ditches. The first ditch contains 607 cubic meters and the second
one 245, which is a total of 852 cubic meters. About 700 to 1000 sheep can be supplied with
water during a three month period of drought in summer. In the second ditch, water is collected
on the natural area of 50 000 m2 while in the first ditch 400 m2 of area are covered by
polyethylene (PEHD). Both ditches are filled in five to ten days. They are fenced by electric fence
to prevent animals free access to ditches and to prevent various diseases. Animals drink water in a
special trough.
Animal health monitoring
Several studies deal with animal health in the frame of research work in the Centre. We
monitor health conditions and preventive measures, we take care of animals and we study the
reasons for death of dead animals. Parasite control is very important to prevent infections with
ectoparasites and endoparasites. We study those parasites that are present in the Centre. Among
endoparasites the most dangerous are those that live in alimentary tract and Dicrocoelium
dendriticum. Among ectoparasites, ticks are ominous because they transfer some viruses and
rickettsiales. One of the studies that is connected with parasite control and food hygiene
investigates the residues of antihelmitics in milk and meat. Some other studies investigate
infectious diseases like mastitis, paratuberculosis, pseudotuberculosis, lysteriosis, hoof diseases
and infections with slow viruses. Reproduction studies concern semen quality, freezing of
foetuses and embryotransfer, reproductive disorders and parturition complications. The aim of the
Centre is to establish an embryo bank to preserve the native sheep Istrska Pramenka. Specific
genes that are resistant to various diseases, like infectious lameness, which is typical for some
breeds, are searched. We should also mention those studies that investigate the influence of sward
control on physiological changes in blood cells and biochemical composition of blood.
Animal husbandry
The main objective of animal husbandry is to preserve the native breeds and to study the
production traits of various breeds and their crossbreeds. Being the native breed, Istrska
Pramenka is of great importance. Milk production and reproductive traits of this breed as well as
growth rate of their lambs are studied. Weight gains in diverse breeding conditions are studied
338
too. Yields of young sheep that graze on the fenced trial areas, in which restricted quantities and
kinds of food are available and thus they have to clean overgrown areas, are compared to sheep
that graze traditionally all day and have to walk several miles every day. Besides trials with
sheep, a combined system of grazing, in which cleaning of pastures is carried out by sheep and
goats, is also studied. From the point of view of breeding and productivity we can conclude that
offspring can be used in the above mentioned grazing systems. They should be well cared for and
controlled to prevent ill consequences on sward and animals.
Production and marketing
Experts study processing and development of quality products as well as milk and meat
products and lamb sales. Some technological procedures of milk processing have already been
improved.
Economic analyses
Each process of recultivation should be financially supported so that model solutions can be
provided while economic analyses on macro-economic levels will show the efficacy of
recultivation with different systems of breeding.
Education, advising and knowledge transfer
All studies are applied to practice and examined in practice. The aim of the Centre is to
transfer research achievements into practice. Therefore, research and observation results are
available to people who are interested in research results. The educational and advising role of the
Centre is evident. Advisors, agricultural experts and veterinary doctors, students, pupils and
farmers as well as all people who should be aware of natural legitimacy are welcome to the
Centre. In the first phase of the project the Centre was visited by more than 1 500 registered
visitors. The activities of the Centre were presented to them in the form of demonstrations,
lectures, seminars and one or two days long outdoor exercises. Every year agricultural advisors
visit the Centre, students of Biotechnical and Veterinary Faculties are among the organized
visiting groups and some of them do the experimental part of their thesis in the Centre.
CONCLUSION
The Developmental Research Centre Vremščica is based on five professional fields that are
linked together. They are animal and plant production, veterinary medicine, forestry and
economy. The aim of the Centre is to study the possibilities and efficacy of recultivation of karst
and hilly lands with such technologies as small ruminant breeding and usage where overgrowing
would be prevented and cleaning of overgrown areas enabled.
339
REFERENCE
Kompan, D. - Pogačnik, M. & Kotar, M. 1995. Uporaba avtohtonih mlečnih pasem ovc za
kultiviranje opuščenih kraskih senožeti. In: Sodobno kmetijstvo 1995; 28:230-234.
Kotar, M. - Kompan, D. & Pogačnik, M. 1995. Vloga gozda na Krasu. In: Sodobno kmetijstvo
1995; 28:243-254.
Pogačnik, M. - Kompan, D. - Vidrih, T. - Kotar, M. & Matičič, B. 1995. Rekultiviranje
opuščenih hribovitih kraških zemljišč z drobnico. In: Sodobno kmetijstvo 1995; 28:225-229.
Vidrih, T. & Kotnik, T. 1995. Nadzorovana paša malih prežvekovalcev kot osnova za
sonaravno kmetovanje. In: Sodobno kmetijstvo 1995; 28:235-242.
Vidrih, T. - Pogačnik, M. - Kotar, M. - Juntes, P. - Kompan, D. - Krek, V. & Kotnik, T.
1995. Sylvopastoral Systems - Environmental, Agricultural and Economic Sustainability. In:
Avignon, France, Cahiers Options Méditerranéennes, Zaragoza 1995; 12:139-142.
Pogačnik,M. - Kompan, D. - Juntes, P. - Vidrih, T. & Kotar, M. 1996. Récultivation e
révitalisation de karst en employant les petits ruminants. In: IV. Congeso de la Federacion
Mediterranea de Sanidad y Produccion de Rumiantes (Fe.Me. S.P.Rum.). Murcia, Spain, 28.30. Marzo,1996.
340