It is common practice in the dairy industry to separate the calf from the cow immediately after parturition, and in most parts of the world calves are housed individually during the milk-feeding ...period. Early and abrupt separation has major implications for the calf's physical and psychological development. In this Research Reflection short review we present and discuss the main housing systems and management practices regarding early weaning in today's dairy industry. Main benefits and disadvantages are critically addressed, and possible future research suggested. Furthermore, major policy issues related to consumers, scientific recommendations and economic performance of farms have been identified, as well as future drivers for more viable housing solutions for neonatal calves. This review serves as an introduction and preamble to the second section of this Special Issue, which is dedicated to cow-calf contact management systems.
Contemporary knowledge on climate change has given rise to a group of advocates who suggest global veganism as an adaptive means of mitigating the threat of climate change. Livestock farming is ...accused of contributing massively to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Some studies suggest that eliminating meat from the diet (i.e., moving to a vegan diet) can reduce GHG emissions globally, while other studies suggest that livestock farming may make a smaller contribution to GHG emissions compared to previous estimates. A paradigm shift in agricultural production is expected to have direct impacts on natural resources, biodiversity, and economies. However, crop-only production and an exclusively vegan diet may lead to the loss of important plant and animal genetic materials, increase pressure on land and water resources, and exacerbate problems with agricultural crop residues. This “all in one basket” approach may affect the global meat trade, change the dynamics of some economies, and threaten food security in the event of pest and disease pandemics. This review found that crop-based ideology would make a huge contribution to reducing GHG emissions, while the integrity of land and water resources could be threatened in the future. Agricultural policies need to develop appropriate instruments to ensure food security, consumer preferences, and environmental protection and to provide a fair income for farmers worldwide. Global stakeholders in the agri-food sector, from policy makers to farmers, need to be engaged in a coherent policy to reduce the C footprint in our diets, protecting the (agri)environment and securing incomes.
The paper analyses the key events of the international and domestic context of the Croatian agricultural policymaking process in the period from 1995 to 2013. By mapping the key events and outputs of ...the policy set out in the development documents of the Croatian agriculture, it was determined that the domestic context influences 51% policy outputs. By analysing the content of 71 scientific papers, 84 recommendations are outlined. Comparative analysis of recommendations and policy outputs revealed that 52% of policy outcomes contains recommendations of scientific community. Research has shown that policy-making in the 1995- 2013 period is influenced by the domestic context and that Croatian agricultural policy is evidence-based because more than 50% of the recommendations of the scientific community is considered. This is the first research that analyses the impact of the international and domestic context on policy making.
This survey was the first one investigating opinions of veterinary students in Croatia towards companion animals and their welfare, with special reference to dogs and cats as the most popular ...companion animals in the European Union. The study included students of all six years of the integrated undergraduate and graduate veterinary medicine study programme in Croatia. First-year students were surveyed twice, before and after having attended the course on animal welfare. Student opinions were assessed on the basis of their mean responses to five-point Likert scale questions and frequency of responses to Yes/No/I do not know questions and ratio scale questions. Study results revealed students to have strongly positive opinions towards companion animals and their welfare. The majority of student statements did not differ significantly between the first and sixth study years or before and after having attended the animal welfare course in the first study year, mostly yielding a straight, non-fluctuating line. Students were not sure whether welfare of companion dogs and cats was compromised. Study results pointed to reliable and reasonable opinions of veterinary medicine students in Croatia towards companion animals and their welfare, as well as to the welfare issues these species may be facing nowadays.
The measures of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and Regional (Cohesion) Policy are aimed at achieving cohesion, i.e. reducing the economic (sectoral), social and territorial disparities at European ...Union level. The issue of rural areas has become an important part of the CAP measures in Pillar 2. Since the CAP does not have a primarily territorial orientation, it does not contribute to territorial cohesion of rural areas. In a similar vein, regional policy, which is primarily oriented towards territorial development, also failed to give rise to complete, balanced development. Using qualitative analysis, this article summarises references selected on the basis of the authors’ experience in policy issues. The types of discourse included on the subject of coherence of common policies are the role of agricultural, rural and regional policy in cohesion and the conflict of cohesion and competitiveness objectives. Modern political and economic efforts of converging competitiveness into the macro concept with spatial implication result in planning and implementation of inappropriate measures and instruments intended to encourage the balanced territorial development of the EU. From this arises a conflict of cohesion and competitiveness, coupled with long-term consequences for the most vulnerable areas.
Protected areas have a primary role in preserving the biodiversity of a region and are often valorized as a resource in tourism. The paper is based on the results of an empirical study conducted on a ...sample of 160 respondents. The main research goal was to determine the opinions and attitudes of the respondents about the development of rural tourism and its impact on the conservation of biodiversity in the Lonjsko polje Nature Park (Park). The results show that 56.9% of respondents consider that pollution caused by human activity has the greatest impact on biodiversity loss, but also that informing visitors about responsible behavior is a way to preserve biodiversity in the Park. Respondents agree with the statement that rural tourism is "eco-friendly" and that a sustainable form of tourism contributes to nature conservation. It was found that age and level of education were not statistically significantly related to the respondents' perception of the impact of rural tourism on biodiversity in nature parks. Respondents are moderate in the view that tourism should not be carried out in nature parks (M = 2.85) or that rural tourism in the park pollutes the environment and disrupts the landscape (M = 2.61). With a high degree of agreement (M = 4.04), respondents believe that the Park has the potential to develop ecotourism.
The aim of the paper is: 1) to determine the key changes in the evolution process of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the Croatia’s fisheries policy and 2) to describe the structure and ...dynamics of macroeconomic and budget performance related to Croatian fisheries in the period 2007-2016. Two methods were used: the historical method and the descriptive analysis of macroeconomic performance and budget structure. The CFP was officially introduced in 1983, bringing the management of fisheries in all EU member states under one system. Its aims were: to resolve sea conflicts between member states, to provide stability to the fisheries sector, to prevent a total collapse of fish stocks and to provide higher quality of life to the fishermen. However, the CFP has constantly been criticized for poor enforcement of environmental measures and scientific recommendations, and for the lack of a common language between the EU institutions and local stakeholders. Both the European and Croatian fisheries sector faced many problems, especially during the transition period in the 1990s. Some of them included a serious decrease of catches, outdated technology and fisheries fleet, depletion of demersal species, lack of developmental trends in mariculture, absence of measures of rational exploitation and protection of economically significant species. The negotiation period was an opportunity for the fisheries sector in Croatia to adapt its goals, measures and stakeholders in order to achieve a more sustainable and internationally competitive fisheries sector in the future. The membership facilitates trade in the EU area, along with providing significant funding and technical assistance. The budget support structure and the existing policy framework point out an increase in the implementation of structural measures which should assist in an overall improvement of social, economic and environmental aspects of fisheries.
The expected Croatian accession to the European Union has once again updated the readiness of our agricultural producers to a market that soon awaits them. Current goals and results of agricultural ...policy measures are thus being reexamined, but also the policy's development concerning the harmonization of entire rural areas with the Common Agricultural Policy of the EU. The current socio-economic changes haven't significantly altered the main objectives of agricultural policy (providing enough food for consumers at reasonable prices, and an equal standard of living for farmers), but they have just changed the instruments and measures of the states with regard to the economic conditions and political circumstances. In Croatian literature, the farmers' position and life in rural areas have been significantly researched since the mid-nineteenth century. Results of many studies and in particular the given recommendations can still apply. Already in the early years, in many papers, the reasons for different positions of farmers of individual countries were indicated, while papers of the late 20th century emphasize the impossibility of mapping individual solutions from the EU to the Croatian situation. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
During the past two decades Croatia has faced numerous challenges: gaining independence, war conflicts, political and economic transition and the process of European Union (EU) accession. Despite ...rich and diversified landscapes and cultural heritage, it is still faced with problems limiting the economic development. So the purpose of this chapter is to point out the pragmatic reasons of Croatian delay in the process of adjustment to European business and agricultural policy standards.Based on statistic and literature analysis, the study determines specific characteristics of Croatian regions, rural areas, rural population and agriculture. Agriculture after independence shows increase in utilized area, but the production is still below pre-war level and results with unsteady and modest value. Harmonization with Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) standards is slow; big steps have been made in establishing new institutions in agriculture and preparing adequate legislative framework, so there are no significant formal differences between Croatian and European agricultural policy. However, European agricultural policy models cause problems. There is a daily debate about a low degree of self-sufficiency of the domestic production, low competitiveness and uncontrolled import of farm products. Farmers still often expect for the government to organize the production and guarantee the purchase prices as were in former, socialistic system.Due to these reasons, a fear was expressed by farmers that they could not be able to meet the strict criteria for the European financing. Despite this, a large part of farmers see the possibilities for their existence in rural areas, mostly through development of non-agricultural activities.
Odnos poljoprivrede i okoliša poprima sve veću pažnju javnosti i traži specifične odgovore javnih politika. S obzirom da donošenje odluka mora biti temeljeno na dokazima potrebno je osmišljavati i ...promatrati pokazatelje koji služe u kreiranju odgovarajućih mjera poboljšanja odnosa poljoprivrede i okoliša. Rad donosi pregled mjera i odabranih agrookolišnih pokazatelja svih država članica (EU-28) za dostupne godine unutar razdoblja 2012. – 2017. temeljem podataka iz baze Eurostat. Između ostalog, rezultati pokazuju da Hrvatska, Bugarska i Slovenija prednjače u udjelu korištene poljoprivredne površine pod područjima ekološke mreže „Natura 2000“. Države članice koje imaju najrazvijeniji sektor poljoprivrede obično vrše i najveći pritisak na okoliš. Tako Nizozemska ima najveći udio korištene energije u poljoprivredi i vrši najveći pritisak na okoliš stočarskom proizvodnjom. Stoga Zajednička poljoprivredna politika (ZPP) nastoji kroz trenutnu reformu razraditi adekvatne i kompromisne agrookolišne mjere za predstojeće razdoblje 2021. – 2027.
The relationship between agriculture and the environment is stimulating increasing public attention and seeking specific public policy responses. Given that decision-making process should be evidence-based it is necessary to design and monitor the indicators that serve to create appropriate agricultural and environmental improvement measures. The paper provides an overview of the measures and chosen agrienvironmental indicators of all Member States (EU-28) for the available years in period 2012-2017 based on Eurostat data. Among other things, the results show that Croatia, Bulgaria and Slovenia are the leaders in the utilized agricultural area under the Natura 2000 ecological network. Member States that have the most developed agricultural sector usually also exert the greatest environmental pressure. Thus, the Netherlands has the highest share of energy used in agriculture and puts the greatest environmental pressure on livestock production. Therefore, through the current reform, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) seeks to develop adequate and compromise agri-environment measures for the upcoming period 2021-2027.
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