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• Benefits from pastures

  129-137

  Imre Vinczeffy

  Views:

  51

  The value of a pasture is determined by natural factors as well by productional methods. In this study, natural factors, such as rainfall, temperature, altitude and soil composition, are examined - these also influence the floral composition of a pasture, which is, again, important regarding the value of a pasture. As regards productional methods, requirements of environment protection as well as professional management are emphasised on the basis of wide-scale experiments conducted in Hungary.

• Characteristics of Grassland Management in Hungary

  4-12

  Imre Vinczeffy

  Views:

  93

  For one thousand years the Hungarians kept animals on pastures and lived from animal husbandry by selling their livestock in western Europe.
  In the 19^th cebtury they began to keep animals in stalls, feeding them with monocultures grown on plough lands. The quality of their animals deteriorated in this manner, and keeping them became expensive. Some of the original pastures were broken up, others turned into woodland and only 30% remain today. Between 1975-1995, th ruminant livestock in Hungary fell by 43% due to the price policy.
  According to research and experience gained on agricultural farms, keeping animals on pastures is fruitful, proper from a professional in addition point of view and significantly reduces environment pollution. It would thus advisable to readopt the method of animal husbandry based on grazing.

• The Special Value of Pastures in Hungary

  5-24

  Imre Vinczeffy

  Views:

  84

  For centuries, Hungary used to be a beef store for European cities, from Strasburg to Venice. The cattle born and raised on Hungarian pastures were favoured for the excellent quality meat they produced.
  In the 19th century, the tradition of keeping livestock on pastures was gradually replaced by stabling and feeding farm animals with monocultures grown on ploughland. The best pastures were ploughed over and only 30% of those that survived were actually used for grazing. Today, it is mainly pastures in national parks that are used for grazing, while this practice is not typical elsewhere.
  Based on several decades’ experiments, it can be established that grazing livestock has several beneficial effects:
  – pastures provide the most valuable feed for livestock, which sustain their good health conditions,
  – livestock cease to be a source of environment pollution for towns and villages,
  – manure raises the nutritive value of pastures,
  – all the above makes farming more economical
  This study provides evidence for the above, based on experiments and production experience.