A study on the herbage mass production and quality for organic grazing sheep in a mountain pasture of northern Greece

The reported study investigates the relationship between animals and pasture in an effort to improve the management of sheep in West Macedonia, Greece. The experiment was conducted at the Animal Breeding and Training Center of Vlasti, Kozani's district during 1994, 1995 and 1996. Five different altitudes of the region were examined in the study to record botanical composition and herbage yield under grazing conditions. The botanical composition of herbage of pasture was dominated by graminaceous species (63 - 71 % of total species). The average yield of herbage was 1910 kg DM/ha. The average utilization of herbage mass was 86%. Declines in herbage yield and nutritive value occurred as a result of seasonal changes, which were affected by temperature and precipitation. The grassland was overgrazed and had the overgrazing continued the future productivity of the pasture would have decreased and the botanical composition would have been altered. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.