Main legumes and grasses for establishment of meadows and pastures. Assessment of pastures and of the carrying capacity. Techniques for management and enhancement of forage resources. Main meadow and pasture vegetation types. Habitat improvements for wildlife fauna.
R. Baldoni, L. Giardini. Coltivazioni erbacee. Foraggere e Tappeti erbosi. Patron editore, 2002. Available at Faculty and Department library.
A. Pardini (curatore). Gestione dei pascoli e dei territori pascolivi. Aracne Editrice, 2005. Available at Faculty library.
Slides of all topics of the course.
Learning Objectives
Acquired knowledge: specific knowledge for the management of forage crops and pastures in extensive environment and marginal lands.
Acquired competence (at the end of the course): management and accurate characterisation of pastoral resources and forage crops.
Acquired skills (at the end of the course): skills concerning the establishment and the management of forage crops and natural pastures and the proper methodologies to characterise forage crops and rangelands.
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended): no
Teaching Methods
CFU 6
Total hours of the course: 150 (= 6 x 25)
Hours reserved to private study and other individual formative activities: 102
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 27-30
Contact hours for: Laboratory (hours): 0
Contact hours for: Practices (hours): 18
Seminars (hours): 0-3
Stages: 0
Intermediate examinations: 0
Further information
Frequency of lectures and practices: recommended
Type of Assessment
Oral examination, with also simple calculations, mainly based on:
- level of knowledge of topics presented during courses;
- proper terminology;
- skills in simple problems related to the topics;
- linking capacity.
Course program
LECTURES. Types of forage resources. Ecophysiological and productive characteristics of the main forage species. Establishment and management of forage mixtures in different pedo-climatic conditions. Methods for assessing pastoral and forage resources: production, quality, botanical composition, vegetative rhythm. Animal stocking rate: definition and negative effects of not balanced stocking rate. Assessment of carrying capacity of pastures by the means of different methodologies. Main meadow and pasture vegetation types. Management and improvement of pastures. Analysis of practical cases of habitat improvement. Outline of landscape ecology.
PRACTICES. Training on studied methodologies with PC software. Analysis of practical cases. Field trips to pastoral lands and to habitat improvement areas. Technical seminars leaded by experts (professional staff, researchers, public or private employees, etc.)