The present study reviews the impact of mechanical interventions, and controlled burning combined with grazing in the Mediterranean-climate regions (MCRs) of the world. Relevant studies were searched ...for in the Web of Science database. Additional studies were located in the citations of these publications, and in a local database. Finally, 26 studies were included in this review. Since 1978, several other relevant studies have emerged at a rate of 24% in a 5-year time step. The studies have focused on the effects of combined grazing with other management tools on vegetation structure (18 publications), biomass productivity (16 publications), and floristic diversity (12 publications). The results were analyzed for (a) sites and treatments and (b) effects on plant structure, productivity and floristic diversity. Herbaceous forage increased after a reduction in shrub cover. Shrubs tended to recover in the grazed pastures. Vegetation height was reduced in almost in all cases according to available data. Despite its potential recovery, shrub biomass was affected by grazing in most cases. The impact of subsequent grazing was mixed regarding floristic diversity. Grazing is a useful tool for landscape management in MCRs, but the proper way to combine it with other interventions depends on the management goals.
Seasonal variability in grasslands’ vegetation affects animals’ diet selection. We studied the seasonal changes in water buffaloes’ diet during grazing in wet grasslands in Northern Greece. We ...recorded each month the plant species of the vegetation and the species consumed by buffaloes. We categorized the former into three functional groups (graminoids, legumes, and forbs) and the latter into five groups (graminoids, legumes, forbs, shrubs, and trees). There were significant differences in the proportions (%) of functional groups in the vegetation and in buffaloes’ diet between seasons (χ
test,
<0.05). Graminoids, legumes, and forbs participated in buffaloes’ diet in all seasons, while the less preferred functional groups were trees and shrubs. Buffaloes consumed ten species in all seasons but we observed the most diverse diet, in terms of plant species, in spring. The most frequently consumed species in each functional group were
(graminoids),
(legumes),
(forbs),
sp. (shrubs), and
sp. (trees). However, the majority of plant species in buffaloes’ diet was in very low proportions (<1%), while buffaloes did not sample at all 38 herbaceous species. Researchers need to conduct further research to understand water buffaloes’ foraging strategy regarding plants’ anti-quality characteristics.
Social Network Analysis (SNA) is used for the first time to investigate the relations between plant functional groups and social structure of grazing sheep. The research was conducted on a grassland ...in Crete's island Lefka Ori, Greece during 2016. A flock of 20 sheep of Sfakion race was analysed as a network and the sheep as nodes. The focal sampling technique was applied during four experimental periods of four consecutive days × eight hours/day. The plant species selected by sheep during grazing were categorized into four functional groups (grasses, broad‐leaved forbs, shrubs and trees), and the proximity and conflict relations that were developed among the flock members were recorded. The tools of SNA were defined and interpreted in the sheep flock, and the Visone software is used to calculate the network variables of proximity and conflicts relations of nodes. Correlations between the plant functional groups and network variables were examined by Spearman's bivariate correlation test. Sheep collectivity was enhanced while grazing grasses and simultaneously, a tendency for hierarchization within the flock was identified. Similarly, the proximity of sheep increased during forbs’ grazing while their individualism was strengthened. When grazing shrubs, the proximity of sheep was only in part maintained while the grazing of trees seems as the most deconstructive forage option of sheep proximity relations. In general, the grazing of all plant functional groups decreases conflicts among sheep except that of trees, which was insignificant for developing such relations.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of this study was to establish a farm typology of the suckler cow sector, based on a stratified sample of 66 farms in the region of Central Macedonia, Greece. The method of hierarchical ...cluster analysis has been used to typology and characterisation of the farming system. The farm size was determined by the number of suckler cows and total livestock units. The degree of intensification of the farming system was classified based on the stocking rate of available pastures, labour efficiency, housing system and level of infrastructure. Cow productivity was evaluated as the weaned calves to cows' ratio. The profitability and the dependence of farms on subsidies were estimated by using gross profit with or without the addition of total subsidies. Following the results, four principal farming systems and one diversified were highlighted: firstly, a traditional, pasture-based, semi-extensive system with low profitability and strong dependence on subsidies was identified. Secondly, a viable and relatively profitable, despite the lack of pasture land, semi-intensive system was revealed. The third one was also a semi-intensive system with high pasture availability and low reliance on subsidies. The intensive farming system that was represented by the fourth case was unsustainable due to the absence of available pastures. The semi-intensive one, which characterised as 'diversified' was not a pure suckler cow farming system as it was mainly based on purchased calves fattening.
HIGHLIGHTS
The lack of pastures constrains the development of suckler cow farming sector in Central Macedonia, Greece.
The low percentage of weaned calves (62%) leads to low capital outputs.
Semi-intensive systems are best suited to ensuring the future viability of suckler cow farms with or without receiving subsidies.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Vigorous restrictive measures were imposed worldwide to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the effects those measures had on livestock production systems have not yet been ...sufficiently clarified. The literature has focused mainly on the impact of COVID-19 on the intensive livestock production system, especially the meat and milk supply chain, as well as the welfare of animals, highlighting its fragility, but failed to address the way the restrictive measures affected the extensive farming system of small ruminants. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of the restrictive measures during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the parameters of sheep and goat extensive farming systems. We used a survey and personal interviews to record the breeders' profile and the structural characteristics of the holdings, and we showed that the restrictive measures had no effect on the parameters of small ruminant extensive farming systems, except for the daily work routine of breeders, which was negatively affected in holdings with a high number of sheep. We expect this study to be helpful to policy makers regarding formulating interventions for the resilience and the stability of the sheep and goat extensive farming system in future situations of emergency.
Water buffaloes are considered social animals and perform several activities on pasture, such as grazing, moving, standing, ruminating, wallowing, lying, and drinking. However, the way these animals ...form their social structure in the herd during each one of these activities is still unknown. Literature for water buffaloes has focused mainly on their productive characteristics, impact of grazing on wetlands and behavior during grazing but failed to address the way these animals form their social organization during their activities on pasture. In this study, the tools of social network analysis are used to analyze, detect, and depict the proximity patterns in water buffaloes' activities on pasture and the effect of their age and gender on them. We describe and interpret a series of global and local network indices, and show that the water buffaloes differentiate their social structure in their activities on pasture and that the animals' age and gender affect their interacting patterns, and provide a framework for the application of social network analysis on grazing animals' social behavioral studies. We expect that this framework could be used in future research to provide information regarding the social structure of other kinds of animals that graze in different forage and climatic environments and help animal breeders to improve their management practices.
The monthly variation of Greek water buffaloes’ grazing behaviour was investigated at the Lake Kerkini National Park in Greece. Direct observations were carried out on six female buffaloes for two ...consecutive days every month for a one-year period, and the time spent (in minutes) on their grazing-related activities (feeding, moving, wallowing, standing, ruminating, drinking, and lying) was recorded. Moreover, social and aggressive interactions and self-grooming were recorded as number of events. Also, the daily distance travelled by buffaloes was recorded with a handheld GPS. Buffaloes travelled on average 6.9 km/day, and they walked their longest distance in June (10.7 km/day) and their shortest in September (2.9 km/day). They spent more time (P<0.05) on feeding (309.2 min/day) compared to moving (121.7 min/day), wallowing (27.9 min/day), standing (20.2 min/day), ruminating (15.4 min/day), drinking (4.7 min/day) and lying (4.2 min/day). Greek water buffaloes seem to be sociable rather than aggressive animals as they devote to these activities on average 18.2 vs 0.5 events/day. We can conclude that the animals adjust their grazing behaviour to climatic conditions and the availability of forage resources.
Interannual and monthly variations of herbage production and nutritive value regarding grazing ruminants' needs and welfare were evaluated in three grasslands (semi-mountainous, mountainous and ...sub-alpine) located at different altitudes (480-900, 901-1500 and 1501-2334 m, respectively) in northern Greece during 2015-2016. Herbage biomass was collected from 30 experimental cages (10 per grassland), weighed, dried at 65
C, milled and analyzed for crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), lignin, calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) content and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD). The sub-alpine grassland was the most productive (1031 and 1231 kg DM ha
) with the highest mean annual herbage CP content (93 and 87 g kg
dry matter; DM) for 2015 and 2016, respectively. CP content was sufficient to meet small ruminants' and beef cattle maintenance requirements until April and May in the semi-mountainous and mountainous grasslands, respectively, while it could cover the above requirements in the sub-alpine grassland until June and August, respectively. The herbage Ca concentration was higher than the grazing ruminants' needs, while the phosphorus concentration was insufficient. Protein and phosphorus supplementation should be provided to animals to cover their maintenance requirements during the whole period and to reach high levels of welfare. Even though grazing is considered as a welfare-friendly procedure, it is uncertain whether all the welfare principals are satisfied in extensive production systems due to variations of forage availability and nutritive value as well as the lack of infrastructure in grasslands.
Vigorous restrictive measures were imposed worldwide to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the effects those measures had on
livestock production systems have not yet been ...sufficiently clarified. The literature has focused mainly on the impact of COVID-19 on the intensive
livestock production system, especially the meat and milk supply chain, as well as the welfare of animals, highlighting its fragility, but
failed to address the way the restrictive measures affected the extensive farming system of small ruminants. In this study, we aimed to investigate
the effect of the restrictive measures during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic on the parameters of sheep and goat extensive farming
systems. We used a survey and personal interviews to record the breeders' profile and the structural characteristics of the holdings, and we showed
that the restrictive measures had no effect on the parameters of small ruminant extensive farming systems, except for the daily work routine of
breeders, which was negatively affected in holdings with a high number of sheep. We expect this study to be helpful to policy makers regarding
formulating interventions for the resilience and the stability of the sheep and goat extensive farming system in future situations of emergency.
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