Nutritional Management Analysis of the Transhumant Sheep and Goat Farms in the Region of Sterea Ellada-Greece

Transcription

1 Siasiou A. et al./scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 0, 48 () Nutritional Management Analysis of the Transhumant Sheep and Goat Farms in the Region of Sterea Ellada-Greece Anna Siasiou *, Ioannis Mitsopoulos,Vasilios Michas, Aristotelis Lymperopoulos, Vasiliki Lagka, Konstantinos Galanopoulos Democritus University of Thrace, Department of Agricultural Development, 800 Orestiada, Pantazidou 93, Greece Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Department of Agricultural Technology, 7400-Thessaloniki, Sindos, Greece Abstract The main reason of practice of transhumant farming system is the need for a more efficient exploitation of vegetation to meet the nutritional needs of the reared animals. The aim of this paper is to investigate nutritional management practices of transhumant herds in the region of Sterea Ellada. In the analysis, emphasis is given in the calculation of the coverage of nutritional needs of the reared animals by supplementary feed, translated as Metabolized energy (ME), Digestible Crude Protein (DGP) and Dry Matter (DM). Nutritional management is studied in four basic productive stages of ewes and dams. All necessary data were collected from a sample of 40 transhumant herders, via an exhaustive questionnaire that covered all aspects of the production of the farms and managerial practices. Data were subsequently analyzed with descriptive statistic methods. Analysis reveals that grazing tends to be the main nutritional source as approximately 30-0% of the needs of the reared animals on lowlands and more than 90% on uplands is considered to be covered by grazing. Keywords: farming system, Greece, management, nutrition and transhumance. Introduction Transhumance is a mobile farming system that has been defined as the alternate and periodic movement of animals between at least two different geographic and climate conditions [, ]. Transhumance is being practiced in Greece since ancient times and is still preserved in most of its regions. Purpose of this movement is to overcome the idiosyncratic Mediterranean climate, characterized by cold winter on the uplands and dry and hot summer mainly on the lowlands, by taking profit of the growth cycle of vegetation. Movement of flocks on uplands takes time on early spring and lasts at least 4 to months, according to climate conditions and plant productivity [3]. During their maintenance on mountainous areas grazing is the basic or the only source of feed. On early spring flocks return to lowlands where nutritional needs are covered by supplementary feed additional or not to grazing. The aim of the current study was the evaluation of the feeding practices of the transhumant sheep and goat in the region of Sterea Ellada during four basic productive stages of ewes and does and the investigation of the degree that nutritional needs were covered by supplementary feed and subsequently the proportion of the nutritional needs that were expected to be covered by grazing. * Corresponding author: Anna Siasiou annasiasiou@yahoo.gr 30

2 Siasiou A. et al./scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 0, 48 (). Materials and methods All necessary data were collected from a sample of 40 transhumant herders, of the total 844 (6.8%) [4] via a specially conducted questionnaire that covered the necessary for the survey aspects of the farms production and managerial practices. The questions concerned feeding management, including the exactly provided amount of supplementary feed additional or not to grazing, throughout late, emphasized on the later 4 days, lactation (during their persistence on winter and summer domiciles) and dry period that coincides with middle ( nd month and the first half of the 4 th month of ). Subsequently the nutritional requirements analogous to their productivity, translated as Metabolized Energy (ME), Digestible Crude Protein (DGP) and Dry Matter (DM) of ewes and does were calculated for each of these productive stages. Based on the provided rations the degree the needs of the females were covered was calculated and the expected participation of grazing was estimated in order to fulfill the requirements of the animals. 3. Results and discussion From the totally 40 surveyed producers 76 perceived only sheep (4.8% of the sample), 0 (4.8% of the sample) only goats while the rest 44 (3.44%) kept sheep and goats as well. The overall nutritional management of the herds was determined by two factors. The first one was the productive stage of the reared animals as the majority of the producers (9%) separated their herds in two distinguish groups, those of high requirements productive animals (late and lactation) and those of low requirements non productive animals (early gestation, non pregnant and replacement animals). The second factor was the weather conditions, especially frequency of rainfall (during spring and summer) and water availability that directly affect the ability of grazing. Particularly during the persistence of herds on winter domiciles, indoor supplementation was necessary by % of the sample. The animals with higher requirements were housed and fed by the majority of the producers, 90.% for sheep and 73.6% for goats during lactation and 73.33% for sheep and 3.% for goats during the last 4 days of, with concentrates and forage. Grazing participated on nutritional management but not continuously. It should be noted that for the majority of the producers the exit of females on pastures was taken place after calving or - weeks after gestation, depending on weather conditions. Grazing was more limited during the last 4 days of contrary to the other two productive stages, as 0.83% of the sheep and 4.7% of the goats were being additionally grazed. During the persistence of herds on summer domiciles grazing was the main, and for the majority of the transhumant herders the only nutriment source. Particularly during lactation only.9% of sheep and 0.00% of goats were supplemented with any kind of browse and/or concentrate while the total provided amount of feed was limited. During the middle stage of the proportions of supplementary feed decrease to 4.6% and 7.8% respectively (Table ). Subsequently using linear programming the degree that concentrates (C) and browse (B) contributes to the coverage of the nutritional needs as well as the expected participation of grazing (G) in order to fulfill the needs of the animals was calculated. Nutritional requirements of sheep and goats were defined on the basis of the needs on metabolized energy (ME), digestible crude protein (DCP) and dry matter (DM). The results reveal in the case of transhumant goats that during winter lactation the provided rations covered more efficiently the nutritional needs of the animals contrary to the other two productive stages. Particularly more than 7% of the needs in ME, and nearly 0% on DCP and DM were covered by the offered browse or concentrates. During the last 4 days and during the middle of, the percentage of nutritional needs that was supposed to be covered by grazing exceeds 0%. It should be noted the important lack on DGP, higher to.64% that reaches 66.99% due to low participation of protein based feed on the offered rations (Table ). During the persistence of the goats on uplands, pastures were the major nutritional providers as more that 80% of lactating requirements and 90% of gestation needs were supposed to be covered by grazing. 303

3 Siasiou A. et al./scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 0, 48 () Table. Synthesis (%) of the rations and the participation of grazing on nutritional management Sheep Goat Productive Domiciles G*** (%) G*** (%) stage B* (%) C**(%) C&B (%) B* (%) C** (%) B&C (%) (h/day) (h/day) Winter Summer Late Lactation - nd - st half of 4 th month of (giving birth Lactation nd - st half of 4 th month of (giving birth *B: Browse, **C: Concentrates, *** G: Grazing / (8 h) 6/6 (4h & 0 min) 0/0 % (4h & 0 min) 3/3 (9h) 0/0 (9h) / (8 h) Table. Participation (%) of browse, concentrates and grazing on the coverage of nutritional needs of sheep and goat Productive stage of goats ME (%) DCP (%) DM (%) B C G B C G B C G 4 days of Lactation of (giving birth Lactation of (giving birth Nutritional requirements are calculated for average milk production of lt (SD: 47.8) on average days (SD: 48.4). Nutritional requirements are calculated for average milk production of 8.87 lt (SD: 8.90) on average days (SD: 9.84). 7/7 (h) 8/8 (h) / (0h) 64/64 (0h) As transhumant sheep is concerned the results affording the participation of the offered rations on the coverage of nutritional requirements during their persistence on uplands were analogous of those mentioned for goats. Particularly approximately 90% of the required ME, DCP and DM, was not covered by the provided feed. On the other hand for this herbivore, during persistence on lowlands, the nutritional needs were more adequately covered by the rations offered, as more that 84% of ME, 0% of DCP and % of DM were covered by the provided feedstuff. It should be noted that the noticeable lack of DCP, to sheep and goat as well, is ought to low participation of protein based feed as soybean, where crop residues prevail. Analogous comment was made by Duncan et al. (03) [], where rations of extensive breeding animals were parted mainly by crop residues (60%) and green fodder with less or no participation of protein based feed. It also should be mentioned the higher lack of the necessary nutriments translated as ME, DCP and 304

4 Siasiou A. et al./scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 0, 48 () DM of goats contrary to sheep that must be covered though grazing in order the animals to fulfill their requirements. It is also well known, by the producers as well, that goats are better able to ingest and digest forage rich in cell wall and poor in nitrogen and can that way more efficiently respond to harsh nutritional conditions than sheep [6]. Winter Summer Table 3. Participation (%) of browse, concentrates and grazing on the coverage of nutritional needs of sheep Productive stage of sheep ME (%) DCP (%) DM (%) B C G B C G B C G 4 days of Lactation nd to st half of 4 th month of (giving birth Lactation nd to st half of 4th month of (giving birth on autumn) 3 Nutritional requirements are calculated for average milk production of lt (SD: 46.68) on average of.7 days (SD: 3.6). 4 Nutritional requirements are calculated for average milk production of lt (SD: 30.8) on average days (SD:.7). Table 4. Percentage (%) of herds of sheep and goat with covered nutritional requirements Covered (%) Uncovered (%) ME (%) DCP (%) DM (%) ΜΕ (%) DCP (%) DM (%) Sheep 4 days of Lactation of (giving birth Lactation of (giving birth Goat 4 days of Lactation of (giving birth Lactation of (giving birth Additionally the percentage of herds of sheep and goats with fulfilled nutritional requirements translated as ME, DCP and DM and for each productive stage was estimated. As can be noted in table 4, more than 90% of the herds of sheep and goats, have not covered their needs in DCP and DM in all productive stages and subsequently only 0% of the herds were nutriment adequate. As ME is concerned the proportion of the herds with adequate rations varied between productive stages, from 66.3% during later for sheep or 0.83% during middle for goats. The overall nutritional management features the extensive character of transhumant as 30

5 Siasiou A. et al./scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies, 0, 48 () farming system that exploits natural resources, contributing that way to the renovation of environment and sustainability. Riedel et al. (007) [7], in their study also demonstrated the importance of grazing in extensive types of farming, as grazing was the only source of feed for the 43% of their sample during summer, while the participation of supplementary feed on nutritional management increased during autumn, winter and spring depending on the productive stage of the animals Implying the constant intensification of production, Duncan et al. (03) [], indicated the importance of grazing in feeding management in developing countries where extensive systems prevail and noted attendance of pastures on feeding management that fluctuates from 0% to 0% in all year time. Simos et al (99) [8], also mentioned that native Greek goats in Metsovo were fed from April to November exclusively by pasturing on highlands while the rest year were fed pasture with supplementary feed as well, highlighting that way the importance of pastures on the feeding management of the animals especially on mountainous, semimountainous areas. According also to Hadjigeorgiou et al. (0) [9], the majority of the nutritional requirements of Greek transhumant sheep and goat in Crete were covered though grazing. Particularly they mentioned that 46.0 % of energy requirements were covered though grazing while the rest 3.0% though supplementary feed, results that pattern after the results mentioned for Sterea Ellada above and emphasizing the importance of pasturing. 4. Conclusions The nutritional management of transhumant sheep and goat especially during their persistence on uplands is based on grazing, where more than the 90% of their needs calculated as ME, DCP and DM is expected to be covered by pastures so that the body score of the animals not to be understated. On the other hand on lowlands the offered rations cover more than 0% of the needs of the animals and seem to be more adequate for the reared sheep. In conclusion transhumance is a farming system where feeding management is based on grazing and supplementary feed is provided mainly on lowlands where nutritional needs are higher and weather conditions do not allow efficient grazing. Acknowledgements This paper is part of the project The dynamics of the transhumant sheep and goat farming system in Greece. Influence on biodiversity which is co-funded by the European Union (European Social Fund) through the Action THALIS. The authors also acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Dr. Zaphiris Abas who died in a car accident on 8 December 03. References. Hadjigeorgiou, I., Past, present and future of pastoralism in Greece. Research, Policy and Practice., 0,, 4.. Ispikoudis, I., Soliou, M., K. and V., P. Papanastasis, Transhumance in Greece: Past, present and future prospects. Transhumance and Biodiversity in European mountains, 00, Laga, V., Ragkos, A., Skapetas, V.,Mitsopoulos, I., Kiritsi, S., Abas, Z., Mazaraki, K. and V., Bambidis, Current trends in the transhumant sheep and goat sector in Greece. In: Opt. Mediterr., Series A: Mediterranean Seminars, 0, 0, pp Huband, S., McCracken, D., I. and Mertens A., Long and short distance transhumant pastoralism in Romania: past and present drivers of change. Pastoralism, 00,, pp Dunkan, A. J. Teufel, N., Mekonnen, K., Singh, V. K., Bitew, A., and Gebremedhin, B., Dairy intensification in developing countries: effects of market quality on farm level feeding and breeding practices. The Animal Consortium, 03, pp Morand-Fehr, P., Recent developments in goat nutrition an application. A review, Small ruminant research, 00, 60, Riedel, J. D, Casasus, I. and Bernues A., Sheep farming intensification and utilization of natural resources in a Mediterranean pastoral agro-ecosystem., Livestock Science., 007,, Simos, E., Voutsinas, L. P. and Pappas, C. P., Composition of milk of native Greek goats in the region of Metsovo. Small ruminant research, 99, Vol 4, Hadjigeorgiou, I., and Zervas, G., Assessing grazing animal production systems on large Greek islands: A case study on the island of Crete, Options Mediterraneenees., 0, 0 306