Pasture farming

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Cattle on a high alpine pasture in the Alps
Pasture paddock with traditional fencing

The term pasture management or grazing describes the keeping of animals or animal production outside of permanent buildings on pastures , where the animals primarily feed on naturally grown vegetation (mainly grass ). Pasture husbandry is a form of husbandry that is usually used for farm animals . It is also used less frequently for non- profit-oriented animal husbandry (private horse husbandry , sanctuary ).

Grazed mostly marginal land - as Urgrasland ( steppe , savannah ) and Tundra - or anthropogenic created grassland , while on higher-value farmland food - or feed crops are grown. Pasture areas, on the other hand, are located on less productive soils , in climatically less favorable locations with a shorter vegetation period (e.g. in a mountain climate ), on steep slopes, or they have obstacles such as rocks that are not economical to remove, or waterlogging that is not due to cost reasons or reasons of biotope protection be drained.

In earlier times, most forms of pasture management were rather labor-intensive, especially remote pasture management , where material-saving techniques were used. Today we find these types of grazing mainly in poorer countries. In pastures with sufficiently fertile soil, where the animals do not have to migrate to find enough food, fences prevent them from escaping from the pasture, thereby saving labor costs for shepherds.

Grazing requires regular control of the animals kept. The dog has acquired an indispensable function as an important helper, especially in non-fenced pastures . Over the centuries, various types of herding dogs and herd guard dogs have been bred in regional breeds . The return and spread of the wolf in Central Europe has made the subject of herd protection a topical issue again in the 21st century.

Every form of pasture farming influences the ecology of the grazed area . Near-natural grazing within cultivated landscapes is now a sign of modern, multifunctional agriculture and promotes the aesthetics of the landscape. Many grazing farms contribute to addressing the requirements of biodiversity , climate and water protection.

If pasture use is too intensive, the consequences of overgrazing including desertification are threatened, especially in regions with little rainfall . In regions with abundant rainfall, grazing usually leads to varied landscapes with numerous ecological niches . Here, pastures are often characterized by a high nature conservation value. They provide home and food for many endangered animal and plant species .

Types of pasture farming

Which type of pasture management is practiced depends, among other things, on climatic, spatial, economic and animal welfare factors. These usually result in regulations and restrictions.

The following classifications are made:

Classification according to the degree of land use

Extensive pasture use

Extensive - that is, grazing of very large areas with low levels of livestock - is found almost exclusively as natural grazing in regions that do not allow any other agricultural use. In most cases, no additional feeding and no temporary housing is necessary. As a rule, several animal species are kept. In the old world dry belt is often to traditional forms of use ( nomadic or mobile animal husbandry ) with high self anteil, otherwise to ranching or modern organic livestock → where the preservation of pastures is the main change pastoralism

Intensive use of pasture

Intensive grazing on small areas with dense livestock is mainly found in grassland management (mostly on potential forest sites) in Europe and North America. Additional feeding, fertilization and temporary housing with a high level of technology are mandatory. Very large herds can also be found in some regions of India, China, Ethiopia and Brazil. Usually only one species is kept. Intensive attitude is exclusively oriented towards the market economy: production security and profit generation are in the foreground. → Permanent grazing

Classification according to the type of pastureland (land use forms)

Pastoralism

The term natural grazing is used synonymously with the term pastoralism . This involves the use of naturally created open landscapes such as steppes, savannas or tundras.

The animals are only looked for when necessary, if necessary rounded up, for example for slaughter or sale. Examples of this can be found in reindeer husbandry in Lapland and Siberia , yak husbandry in the Tibetan highlands , cattle husbandry of the Maasai or mobile animal husbandry with various types of livestock in the Eurasian steppe . Since they settled down in the Neolithic Age , nomadic pastoralists have practiced this type of grazing.

If the areas are used alternately as pasture and for agriculture , one speaks of agropastoralism . The way of life of agropastoral groups is sedentary, semi-sedentary or semi-nomadic, depending on the circumstances; Both permanent residences and, in some cases, various mobile dwellings are always used. This form is found mainly in the savannah areas of Africa.

Hut forestry

The Hutewaldwirtschaft is a mostly historical form of grazing of former virgin forests , who will be thinned in this way and for permanent use to park- or heath similar develop landscapes. In addition to emerging grasses, acorns and beechnuts from relatively free-standing, large trees as well as seedlings and young plants from various woods are available as food for the cattle. As a result, pigs, sheep and goats benefit more from Hutewaldwirtschaft than cattle or horses, which are more dependent on grass. There are still used, large hat forests in central and southwest Spain , for example ; they are called dehesas and are used to fatten the acorns for the Iberian pigs.

Grassland farming

Pasture land created by clearing forests or draining wet areas (swamps, moors, wet meadows, floodplains) in the middle latitudes is referred to as grassland . Unsuitable for arable farming as it allows intensive grazing. Mainly grasses and / or herbaceous plants are grown on the land and their biomass is used by grazing or mowing for livestock farming or to a small extent for the production of energy crops . These anthropogenically created ecosystems require constant use or maintenance in order to prevent the naturally existing vegetation (predominantly forest ) from growing again . Likewise, nature conservation areas are referred to as grassland where the use claim is only secondary or not at all, but which aim to preserve the character of this cultural landscape through appropriate nature conservation measures - mostly grazing.

Similar to agropastoralism, there is a change in the use of arable land and grassland in field grass farming . This form of agriculture is widespread in regions where permanent arable farming or permanent grassland is difficult for site-ecological reasons, but arable crops still produce minimum yields.

Classification according to the type of land cultivation and grazing

Keeping of cattle

Fencing

In intensive locations with large numbers of livestock and various competing forms of land use in the neighborhood, pastures are generally fenced in as paddocks today (especially in the rich industrialized countries ) . The big advantage compared to the methods mentioned above is that the fencing does not initially require constant supervision of the grazing animals. On the other hand, there are the workload for the construction of the fence, shelter and water point and the material costs. According to the ethical values ​​of animal welfare in Europe, a control of the animals and the fence once a day is essential.

Pasture land in the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve , Brandenburg with permanent fencing

Wood (expensive), wire mesh (expensive) or barbed wire (high risk of injury) can be used as fence construction material, but electrified fencing is by far the most common. This can consist of a simple wire (works in cattle farming) up to an electrified network in sheep and goat farming.

If the fence material is permanently installed, it is a standing pasture or paddock . This area is used again and again for grazing, even if it is occasionally mowed in between ( mowing pasture ).

The electric fence can be set up mobile with a battery-operated device or operated with a stationary power supply unit. The latter is more powerful and less prone to failure. Mobile devices can be used in a variety of ways. With mobile electric fences, the animals are often penned in new areas at the hiking pasture overnight .

When using electric fences, it is important that they function properly and that the animals get used to how they work. The animal that has already received an electric shock will avoid contact with the fence in the future. However, if the fence is not tensioned enough, the animals learn that they do not have to be deterred by a thin strand.

In most countries, the technical properties of energizers are regulated by law (especially the pulse strength - in the EU, EN 60335-2-76 applies).

The fence regularly raises the question of herding safety. Grazing animals keep breaking out of the fences. In densely populated regions, this harbors dangers for humans and animals.

The fencing enables the principle of portion pasture . This means the division of the total area into several paddocks, whereby the forage area is allocated once or twice a day. It is the most intense form of grazing. The pasture remains are very low, the feed consumption per animal is very high. The use as portion pasture is particularly advantageous for small pastures and scarce pastureland. This form is not suitable for larger herds because of the increased stress. The maintenance effort is high, as is the nutrient requirement.

The short grass pasture is a very early, intensive and briefly grazed standing pasture for cattle husbandry. There is no additional feeding of concentrated feed, otherwise the animals prefer to stay in the barn. It requires a seasonally controlled calving in winter and a carefully considered supply of winter forage if all areas are to be grazed. The short grass pasture is very strongly promoted in Austria by the LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein.

Hobbling

Hobbled donkey in Sardinia

When hobbling , the front legs of the grazing animals are tied relatively tightly together. These can then move freely, but only with small steps. The radius of action is severely restricted. This technique has the advantage that little and only inexpensive material is required. The time required to supervise the animals is low in sparsely populated regions. The application and removal of the ankle cuffs is only possible with a limited number of animals due to the amount of work involved. Injuries can easily occur if the material is unsuitable, the animals are not used to it and if it is used frequently, but especially if the grazing animals are disturbed and attempted to escape. In affluent countries hobbling is often rejected for reasons of animal welfare . However, it is widespread in poorer countries.

Tüdern

Tied dromedaries in the Sahara , Morocco

Traditionally, animal owners tie individual grazing animals to a stake in the ground with a rope to limit their range of motion. In German usage this is called Tüdern. In goats, the rope is often tied to a collar, in horses it may be tied to a halter, otherwise a leg is simply tied with a noose (in English, every type of ankle cuff is called a hobble, even if it is tied to a stake ). Tüdern is sometimes only used for storage. For grazing purposes, the stake can be moved gradually so that the animal can reach its forage plants.

The advantages and disadvantages of this technique are the same as those of hobbling.

Pasture maintenance

Without pasture care , plants are favored on intensive pastureland that do not serve as food for the cattle, e.g. B. thorny or poisonous species. Appropriate pasture maintenance prevents their spread. Plants that can be found on well-tended pastures are those that can tolerate frequent browsing and entry by the animals (such as German ryegrass or white clover ).

Meadow harrow, folded up
  • Towing, harrowing: Towing is carried out in spring and repeated over the course of the year if necessary. When dragging, a gentle pasture harrow is pulled over the sward, tearing up old parts of the plant, leveling molehills and distributing cow dung and droppings. The growth is suppressed in these places. At droppings can rank patches arise because the cattle bekotete plants and avoid these areas are heavily over-fertilized. Where the sward is covered by molehills or droppings, undesired species can also germinate, as their seeds, in contrast to the desired species , are represented by seeds in the diaspore bank , since when pasture or cut grass is used, the grass is harvested before it blooms .
  • Rolling: Rolling is particularly necessary in spring on bog soils. Due to the high water content of boggy or boggy soils , periodic freezing occurs in winter due to the effects of frost . The main purpose of the rolling is to reconnect the deeply frozen, highly humus soil layers, raw humus and peat layers to the lower horizons and to improve the water flow.
  • Mowing: The subsequent mowing (mowing or re-mowing) of pastures that are only grazed extensively by one type of livestock promotes a favorable composition of forage plants. The cattle have food preferences and bite the valuable forage plants, while the unwanted plants are not damaged, especially in horny places (piles of excrement) and can spread through this advantage. The aftermath prevents this.
  • Mulching: When cleaning the mower both pasture weeds (such as nettles , sorrel and burdock ), as well Kotansammlungen crushed intensive and distributed on the surface. As a result, they rot quickly and endoparasites have poorer survival conditions.
  • Reseeding: In the fall , spring or after a cut use forage grasses can be reseeded. As long as the sward has a satisfactory species composition or does not have too large gaps, smaller gaps or damage caused by wintering will be remedied by reseeding . The reseeding is done by slot sowing , broad cast or simply by adding the seeds in the slurry tank .
  • Mixed grazing: Although seldom used for reasons of animal production , mixed grazing with different types of livestock leads to better pastures, as cattle and horses, for example, graze and digest the plants differently.

Problems of pasture farming

In principle, every type of pasture management changes the pasture land, the grazing animals exert grazing pressure . If too few animals are kept on a certain area, one speaks of undergrazing . The animals choose the most popular forage plants and weeds spread. If there are too many animals on the area, overgrazing occurs . In dry areas, this can promote desertification .

Stocking

In the planar to colline altitudes of Central Europe, a stocking density of 1.4 livestock units per hectare can be drawn as the limit from extensive to intensive husbandry in vigorous locations .

Regular grazing of the same area with the same species of animal increases the risk of disease for grazing animals from endoparasites such as liver fluke or roundworms . In order to interrupt the cycle of ingestion of eggs when grazing, the development of mature parasites in the intestine and the shedding of eggs, breaks in grazing are helpful. If a meadow is only mowed one year, the risk of a parasite infection for the grazing animals is significantly lower in the next year. The collection and removal of manure or its fine distribution for quick composting also reduces the infection pressure .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Duden | Willow | Spelling, meaning, definition, origin. Retrieved January 9, 2021 .
  2. ↑ Extensive pasture management and demands on the new agricultural policy In: Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung, Zeitschrift für angewandte Ökologie, 2010.
  3. ↑ Inke Rabe: Grazing of open and semi-open biotopes. In: Series of publications: LLUR SH - Natur; 18. State Office for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Areas of the State of Schleswig Holstein, December 2010, accessed on January 9, 2021 (German).
  4. ↑ Dr. Josef Heringer, ANL: Bucolia pasture landscape as a natural and cultural heritage. In: Laufener seminar papers 4/00. Bavarian Academy for Nature Conservation and Landscape Management, July 18, 1997, accessed on January 9, 2021 (German).
  5. ↑ Werner Doppler: Agricultural operating systems in the tropics and subtropics. Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 1991.
  6. ↑ Kurt Baldenhofer, Nicolas Marschall: Pastoralism. Retrieved January 24, 2021 .
  7. ^ Ernst Klett Verlag - Terrace - school books, teaching materials and learning materials. Retrieved January 10, 2021 .
  8. ↑ VETS WITHOUT BORDERS e. V. • Bünteweg 2 • 30559 Hanover •: Pastoralism. In: View of Veterinarians Without Borders e. V. on pastoral animal husbandry in East Africa. VETS WITHOUT BORDERS e. V. • Bünteweg 2 • 30559 Hanover •, November 2011, accessed on January 10, 2021 (German).
  9. ↑ Reindeer Herding. International Center for Reindeer Husbandry, accessed January 11, 2021 .
  10. ↑ gruenland-online> pasture forms. Retrieved January 10, 2021 .
  11. ↑ Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety: Recommendations for year-round and seasonal grazing of sheep. In: Animal Welfare Service LAVES. Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, March 2009, accessed on January 10, 2021 (German).
  12. ↑ OVE Österreichischer Verband für Elektrotechnik ON Österreichisches Normungsinstitut: Safety of electrical devices for household use and similar purposes Part 2-76: Special requirements for electric fence devices. In: ÖVE / ÖNORM EN 60335-2-76. OVE Österreichischer Verband für Elektrotechnik ON Österreichisches Normungsinstitut, October 1, 2008, accessed on January 11, 2021 (German).
  13. ↑ Gracious Chimbalanga: LSPCA trains donkey farmers in tethering hobbles manufacturing. Retrieved January 11, 2021 (UK English).
  14. ↑ DWDS - Digital Dictionary of the German Language. Retrieved January 11, 2021 .
  15. ↑ hobble - LEO: Translation in the English ⇔ German dictionary. Retrieved January 11, 2021 .
  16. ↑ Nicolas Schoof, Rainer Luick, Guy Beaufoy, Gwyn Jones, Petar Einarsson, Jabier Ruiz, Vyara Stefanova, Daniel Fuchs, Tobias Windmaißer, Hermann Hötker, Heike Jeromin, Herbert Nickel, Jochen Schumacher, Mariya Ukhanova: Grassland Conservation in Germany: Drivers of Biodiversity , Influence of agri-environmental and climate measures, regulatory law, dairy industry and effects of climate and energy policy . In: Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Ed.): BfN script . No. 539 . Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn - Bad Godesberg 2019, p. 257 ( researchgate.net [accessed September 16, 2019]).
  17. ↑ Felix Heckendorn (FiBL), Véronique Frutschi (FRI): Sustainable regulation of internal parasites in cattle with pasture management. In: Leaflet of the Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL). Research Institute for Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Ackerstraße 113, Postfach 219, CH-5070 Frick, 2014, accessed on January 22, 2021 .
  18. ↑ Pasture management with excrement sampling the basis. In: Worm Control. Retrieved January 22, 2021 (Dutch).