Extensively used grassland as a basis of low input livestock
systems and as a resource of energy and raw materials
Poetsch E.M.1, K. Buchgraber1, R. Resch1, J. Haeusler1, F. Ringdorfer1, A. Pöllinger1, J. Rathbauer2 and T. Amon3
1
Research and Education Centre for Agriculture, Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Austria, 2BLT Biomass-Logistics-Technology, Francisco Josephinum, Wieselburg, Austria
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
3
STUDY AREA & INTRODUCTION
Structural changes in rural areas, overproduction
and more cost-effective production in favourable
regions have led to increasing abandonment of
grassland in disadvantaged regions. About 15% of
the total biomass growing on Austrian grassland is
therefore no longer used for traditional milk and
meat production.
METHODS
♦ various farming and non-farming concepts
have been studied within a comprehensive
research project on an extensively used
grassland area of nearly 20 ha at Buchau in
the province of Styria, Austria
To avoid the invasion of bushes and trees which
inevitably leads to the development of forest
alternative concepts of grassland use are required.
♦ in addition to low input livestock systems,
attention was given to the use of grassland
biomass for methane production and as
combustion material
mountainous area
♦ different mulching methods were tested
both on flat and steep areas to keep the
small area 1995, 1997
small area 2000
other disadvantaged area
landscape open
Figure 1: Disadvantaged areas in Austria (69.4 % of the total AA, ~ 70% of all farms)
RESULTS
►
►
Grassland yields ranged between 4.8 and 6.4 t of DM ha1 year-1. Forage quality varied from 1.3 MJ NEL kg DM-1
to 6.8 MJ NEL kg DM-1 (fresh grass on the pastures)
Fattening performance of cattle was satisfying with an average
gain of 1,234 g day-1 for heifers and 1,281 g day-1 for steers.
The average daily gain of male lambs was 277g day-1 whereas
that of female lambs amounted to 188 g day-1
Table 1. Specific methane productivity of grassland biomass (lN CH4 kg oDM-1)
Conservation system
wet silage
pre-wilted silage
haylage
a, b
►
one-cut grassland
280a, c
285a, c
243b, c
two-cut grassland
305a, d
295a, c
253b, c
three-cut grassland
305a, d
300a, c
255b, c
– indicating differences between conservation systems, c, d – indicating differences between cutting regimes
Methane productivity of extensively used grassland was
significantly lower compared with intensive grassland or
arable crops. Significant differences between cutting
frequencies and conservation systems were found
►
►
Hay pellets were characterized by an extremely high ash
content which requires special adaptation of the firing
equipment to avoid operational problems. The heating value
of hay pellets amounted to 17.2 MJ kg-1 which is marginally
below the accepted minimum level for combustion material
Mulching is a feasible technique to keep landscapes open but
leads to costs of up to € 140 ha-1 and to a negative costbenefit ratio
►
Floristic
biodiversity
declined
dramatically on
abandoned grassland within few years whereas
shrubs and unwanted species occurred increasingly
CONCLUSIONS
►
Extensively
used
grassland
in
mountainous regions is exposed to a
strong competitive pressure. Milk and
meat production, being traditional and
productive land-use-systems for many
generations, are increasingly given up
and grassland abandonment is occurring
in many Regions.
The results of this project clearly
indicate that there are some practicable
alternative land management systems
that are both productive and nonproductive from an agricultural point of
view.
► Regarding economic and ecological
aspects low input livestock systems with
suckling
cows
and
sheep
were
significantly more efficient than the
energetic/material use of grassland
biomass
► All tested systems contributed to the
preservation
of
extensively
used
grassland
which
was
clearly
demonstrated by the development of
floristic diversity
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