Silvopasture in croatia

Silvopasture​​in​​Croatia Silvopasture​​is​​the​​intentional​​combination​​of​​trees,​​forage​​plants​​and​​livestock together​​as​​an​​integrated,​​intensively-managed​​system.​​Silvopasture​​can​​provide profitable​​ opportunities​​for​​softwood​​or​​hardwood​​timber​​growers,​​forest​​landowners, and​​livestock​​producers.

Farmers​​in​​Croatia​​will​​have​​the​​opportunity​​to​​see​​first​​hand​​a​​project​​which​​seeks​​ to demonstrate​​the​​feasibility​​and​​profitability​​of​​combining​​trees,​​forage​​crops​​and livestock.

Croatian​​Center​​of​​Renewable​​Energy​​Sources​​(CCRES)​​at​​CCRES​​Research​​facility​​ in Lika-Senj​​ County​​is​​managed​​by​​Zeljko​​Serdar.​​Additional​​funding​​over​​three​​years will​​be​​provided​​by​​the​​Agriculture​​ Program​​of​​the​​CCRES. Through​​new​​plantings​​and​​thinning​​of​​existing​​woodlands,​​CCRES​​will​​show​​three​​stages​​ in the​​development​​of​​a​​silvopastoral​​system.​​Starting​​last​​year,​​2016,​​trees​​were​​planted​​o​n​​ an existing​​mature​​pasture.​​Tube​​shelters​​protect​​the​​trees​​from​​animal​​damage​​and​​improve growing​​conditions.​​In​​this​​silvopastoral​​system,​​pasture​​crops​​will​​provide​​short​​term​​income while​​tree​​crops​​of​​different​​rotation​​lengths​​will​​yield​​medium​​and​​long​​term​​returns.

Nitrogen-fixing​​forage​​species,​​pasture​​fertilization​​and​​animal​​manure​​all​​help​​improve​​the soil​​and​​tree​​nutrition.​​Grazing​​controls​​competing​​brushy​​species​​and​​reduces​​fire​​hazard.

Trees​​create​​a​​sheltered​​microclimate​​to​​protect​​animals​​from​​heat​​and​​cold.​​Shelter​​also improves​​forage​​quality​​and​​lengthens​​its​​growing​​season.

One​​visible​​effect​​of​​including​​trees​​in​​pastures​​is​​the​​shady​​haven​​which​​they​​provide​​for livestock​​o​ n​​hot​​summer​​days.​​The​​benefits​​of​​providing​​protection​​from​​the​​hot​​rays​​of​​the summer​​sun​​are​​obvious.​​It​​easily​​follows​​that​​animals,​​which​​are​​unable​​to​​shelter​​from​​the direct​​sun​​during​​the​​heat​​of​​the​​day,​​ will​​have​​to​​expend​​energy​​to​​deal​​with​​their​​discomfort and/or​​reduce​​their​​feeding​​activity.​​Their​​productivity​​should​​decline​​in​​proportion​​to​​the​​time spent​​under​​these​​unfavorable​​conditions.​​Increased​​livestock​​production​​during​​hot​​weather is​​promoted​​by​​CCRES​​as​​o​ne​​of​​the​​benefits​​of​​having​​trees.​​However,​​there​​is​​very​​little published​​research​​available​​to​​either​​verify​​or​​disprove​​this​​widely​​held​​belief.

The​​prunings​​of​​some​​trees​​can​​also​​ be​​used​​as​​fodder,​​e.g.​​poplar.​​The​​result​​is​​better livestock​​growth.​​Birds​​can​​use​​conifer​​trees​​as​​perches.​​From​​the​​tops​​of​​tree​​rows,​​they can​​easily​​ survey​​the​​pasture​​alleys​​for​​insects,​​worms,​​and​​other​​food​​items.

Careful​​observation​​of​​animals​​behavior​​is​​necessary​​to​​detect​​and​​correct​​potential problems​​with​​browsing​​or​​rubbing​​of​​trees.

In​​summary,​​our​​experience​​is​​that​​silvopastures​​planted​​in​​rows​​are​​far​​superior​​for​​livestock production​​ than​​are​​either​​grid​​or​​cluster​​plantings.​​Trees​​planted​​in​​rows​​with​​wide​​open spaces​​for​​ pasture​​production​​between​​them,​​support​​high​​forage​​production​​and​​facilitate agricultural​​operations​​and​​animal​​herding.​​The​​large​​amount​​of​​edge​​created​​and maintained​​long​​into​​the​​timber​​rotation​​tends​​to​​maintain​​high​​biodiversity Electric​​fencing​​or​​individual​​tree​​guards​​may​​be​​necessary​​to​​protect​​trees​​if​​animals​​are introduced​​ when​​they​​are​​still​​small.​​Fencing​​is​​also​​used​​in​​rotational​​grazing​​methods​​to better​​control​​forage​​consumption.

Throughout​​the​​duration​​of​​the​​CCRES​​project​​at​​CCRES​​Research​​facility,​​Zeljko​​Serdar and​​others​​will​​monitor​​tree​​growth,​​crop​​and​​animal​​yields,​​fuel​​use​​and​​soil​​fertility.​​The practical​​results​​of​​the​​project​​will​​be​​ shared​​with​​other​​farmers,​​both​​through​​o​n-site​​field days​​and​​educational​​displays​​at​​other​​meetings.

Croatian​​Center​​of​​Renewable​​Energy​​Sources​​(CCRES)